Jenna Maury

The Hope College softball team rebounded from a 2-1 loss to Bethany (W.V.) in its season opener on Saturday to defeat Lake Forest (Ill.) 7-4 at the Dot Richardson Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.

"For the first day out, I was happy with how we played," Hope coach Mary VandeHoef said. "We got offense from all parts of the line up and played solid defensively."

Against Lake Forest, Hope never trailed after sophomore centerfielder Autumn Anderson of Dorr (Wayland HS) reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first inning and later scored on a passed ball.

Sophomore shortstop Jenna Maury of Lawton (Lawton HS) keyed a three-run third with a two-run single. She added a RBI single in the sixth.

Winning pitcher Natalie Hiser of Westland (Livonia Churchill HS), scattered five hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings. She struck out eight. Reliever Olivia Vacik of Bollingbrook, Ill. (Neuqua Valley HS), pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.

"It was nice to see the team respond after losing game one," VandeHoef said. "Our offense came to life. Hiser and Vacik combined to keep their hitters off balance."

Against Bethany, losing pitcher Kate Laverty of Eaton Rapids (Eaton Rapids HS) scattered seven hits over six innings of work. She allowed runs in the fifth and sixth innings and struck out eight.

Hope's lone run in the first game when Maury scored on a groundout by senior catcher Emma Page of Portage (Portage Central HS).

"It's a tough one to lose," VandeHoef said. "Kate threw well and a lot of our hits went right to their defense."