MARCH 10/11– The Covenant baseball team took on the Calvin Knights this weekend to wrap up spring-break play. The Knights defeated the Scots in game one after a pitching change and several critical errors led to the loss of a 9-4 lead. Covenant then fell in game two but would come back to take the final game of the series.
 
On Friday, the Scots held a comfortable lead heading into the eighth inning. Starting pitcher Bryce Bollinger threw six strikeouts in the outing, but Calvin would come back to score  eight runs in the eighth and seven in the ninth. The Scots were unable to stop the scoring and comeback from the deficit, dropping game one 19-12.

Starting anew on Saturday, both teams began their days with hot-hitting, each scoring three runs.
 
With Junior Zach Tolleson on the mound for the Scots, the second inning began with two quick outs. However, Tolleson walked the next two batters, each coming in to score a run in the second inning. A homerun later in the inning would secure three more runs for Calvin. 
 
In an effort to halt the Knight's two-out rally, Head Coach Doug Simons would bring in Scotty Smith to replace Tolleson. Scotty Smith would come in with two down, none on base, but sitting at an 8-3 deficit in the second inning.
 
Smith accomplished exactly what he came in to do, abruptly ending the inning with a strikeout for the third out to bring the Scots to the bottom of the inning in hopes to make up some runs.
 
However, the Scots were unable to generate any offense in the second. 
 
Smith continued his great play after retiring the Knights 3-up 3-down in inning three to shut down Calvin's chance to continue their scoring run. 
 
Another scoreless inning for Covenant brought the game to the fourth.
 
The Scots held the Knights to zero runs for a second inning in a row, and after a few walks and a pitching change, Covenant began to generate some offense. Bringing in Kolby Kimberly to score, the Scots lessened the gap to 8-4 heading into the fifth.
 
The score remained 8-4 as Covenant halted the Knight's offense yet again, turning around to snag two more runs to cut down the lead to just 8-6.
 
Answering the Scots, the Knights scored two runs of their own to stay ahead by four runs, the score: 10-6.
 
A big inning for Scotty Smith with two strikeouts brings the Scots to the bottom of the seventh, Scots still trailing by four.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Covenant managed to get Zeke Gilbert home to bring the Scots within three. 
 
Returning to the bottom of the ninth after a double play would cut the Knights short in the top of the final inning, Covenant would have one last attempt to score.
 
Though the Scots were able to get another run and had a bases-loaded with one out opportunity, Covenant was unable to capitalize on the runners in scoring position, falling for the second time to Calvin. The final score ended at 10-8, Knights.
 
CONNECT WITH THE SCOTS
Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information.