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Pitchers leading Calvin Softball to MIAA Tournament

Posted at 11:44 PM, Apr 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-24 23:44:10-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Calvin softball team is one game away from clinching a spot in the MIAA Tournament. A feat that would mean the world to their senior class.

“Knowing that hard work that we put in really made a difference," senior third baseman Jessica Brasser smiled, "that success is going to be so exciting to see. And to make it to the tournament will just be the cherry on top.”

For the younger classman, freshman Ellie Borst said it's been just as exciting to be apart of. “It’s really cool to see the excitement in the seniors as we progress throughout the season and just playing for them and knowing that like how we perform and how we do well it’s their last chance."

The pitching is something that's helped lead the Knights this year, especially junior Anna Gernant, who is second in career strikeouts at Calvin. “Obviously the pitcher has the ball every time and you get to start with it," Anna added. "But you have your whole defense behind you and your whole offense behind you and it’s definitely a team game, so I would say the only reason I have any record is because my team is behind me.”

Brasser said it gives the whole team confidence. “As a defensive player, to have a pitcher that has a command and a confidence on the mound is just a game changer because you can go up there knowing that if your pitcher is going to attack the ball, you’re going to attack the ball and it’s just great to have them get ahead and it’s been cool to see how humble she is throughout this entire process.”

The sign of course of a good leader is teaching those around you and Gernant has done just that this year with Borst.

“Ellie kind of gives you a change of pace and it’s been nice to have Ellie to take that pressure off of Anna and I know she’s appreciate that," Calvin head coach Becky Hilgert said. "Really we have five pitchers that are ready to come in and do anything and in this game you need to have strong pitching and even the ones that haven’t had the innings that Anna and Ellie have, in practice they are making our hitters better and they’re getting better. I’m just really excited about this group.”

The Knights resume play on Wednesday at Wheaton College.