Kentwood, MI - Softball took the field at Kellogg Woods Park for their home opener in a double header against The University of Olivet on Wednesday, March 5th. The Tigers came in looking for their first win of the spring season. 

Game 1:

Olivet jumped out to an early 5-0 lead scoring 3 runs in the 1st, and adding 2 more in the 2nd. The Tigers would respond in the bottom of the 3rd inning starting with an RBI triple from Emma Balkema and capped off by a sac fly by Ellie Hoeksema. Olivet would tag on 2 more runs in the top half of the 4th but the Tigers would come right back with 3 more runs of their own with RBI hits from Tori Walling, Emma Balkema, and Lydia Clark. 

With the score 7-6 Olivet the Tigers were looking to string another good inning together to take the lead. Unfortunately the sticks would go quiet the rest of the way and Olivet would put together a 5 run 6th inning to extend the lead and ultimately put the game away by a final of 12-6. 

In game 1, Emma Balkema (3), Lydia Clark (2), and McKenzie Bouma (2) all had multi hit games with Balkema and Clark with 2 RBI's a piece. 

Game 2: 

In game 2 the Tigers sent Emma Balkema to the mound who after the first inning, put together a really dominant performance. Olivet jumped out to an early 3-0 lead but in the bottom half of the frame the Tigers offense exploded for 6 runs. 

Balkema would then hold Olivet scoreless until they scratched one across in the 6th inning while the Tigers scored 2 runs in both the 4th and 5th innings securing a 10-4 victory. 

Balkema pitched a complete game with 7 IP, 4 H, 4R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, collecting her first win of the season on the mound. The Tigers put together an outstanding offensive effort scoring 10 runs on 10 hits.