GRANDVILLE – The Fruitport softball team had a mixed result on Wednesday, splitting a pair of important conference road games with Calvin Christian.

While the overall result wasn’t perfect, getting one win kept the Trojans firmly in the battle for another O-K Silver conference championship.

They are currently 5-1 in the conference standings, while Belding is 6-2 and Calvin Christian is 4-2.

“We have a solid two weeks of competition ahead, with back-to-back conference games next week against Hopkins and Comstock Park,” said Fruitport head coach Katelynn Reynolds, whose team tied for the title last year. “We finish conference play on May 19 against Belding, a team that will challenge us to try and win that title.

“Our focus is to embrace these battles one game at a time and stick to our theme – battling every pitch, every inning, every game. These girls know what’s ahead and what needs to be done, and they are excited to get the opportunity to earn that title of conference champions.”

The Trojans were at their best in Game 1 on Wednesday, posting a 12-7 victory.

The game was scoreless until the third inning when Fruitport’s Kya Tawney doubled to knock in a run and Khloe Courtade singled to drive in another, giving Fruitport a 2-0 lead.

Calvin Christian took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third, then Fruitport’s Sophie Christopher put Fruitport back on top with a two-run home run.

In the next inning, she singled in a run, giving Fruitport a 5-3 edge.

The Squires scored three runs in the fifth to retake the lead at 6-5, but then the Trojans took control for good, scoring six runs in the sixth.

Madyson Prout had the big hit of the inning, knocking in two with an RBI single with two strikes against her.

Christopher had a two run double in the sixth inning as well.

“We had a huge sixth inning,” Coach Reynolds said about the offensive breakout. “The bats just really lit up for us and helped us pull out the win.”

Christopher led the offensive attack in Game 1, driving in five runs on three hits while Courtade picked up the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four.

“We are so happy to have her on the mound,” Reynolds said about Courtade making her 2026 pitching debut. “She really stepped up for us in the circle tonight.”

Fruitport lost the second game 7-4.

The Trojans fell behind early, giving up four runs in the first and two runs in the second to trail 6-0. Calvin Christian added a run in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 7-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Courtade hit an RBI single, scoring Kya Tawney and cutting the deficit to 7-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kalli Tawney scored on a wild pitch, making the score 7-2.

Fruitport added two more runs in the seventh inning, with one crossing the plate on a wild pitch before Maya Aldridge singled home Christopher, cutting the deficit to 7-4.

The Trojans’ comeback attempt ended there. Christopher led the offense by going 3-for-3 at the plate.

Coach Reynolds was proud of her team, which refused to roll over after falling behind early.

“We just have to clean up a few things,” she said. “We got down by a few in the first and second inning, but we kept playing. We have to continue to push in the second half of the season and focus on the conference title while preparing for a tough district coming up.”