Natalie Hiser

The Hope College softball team posted two wins on Thursday morning, defeating McDaniel (Md.) 4-0 and Benedictine (Ill.) 7-1 in Clermont, Fla.

The Flying Dutch raised their record to 4-3 overall. They conclude their spring break trip on Friday, March 21, when they play Rowan (N.J.) and Ripon (Wis.).

Against McDaniel, starting pitcher Natalie Hiser of Westland (Livonia Churchill HS) combined with reliever Olivia Vacik of Bollingbrook, Ill. (Neuqua Valley HS), on a three-hit shutout.

Hiser (3-1) allowed three hits in four innings. She struck out two and walked one. Vacik tossed three innings with three walks for her first save of the season.

Hope scored twice in the bottom on the first inning. Junior first baseman Peyton Wells of Rockford (Rockford HS) plated sophomore centerfielder Autumn Anderson of Dorr (Wayland HS) with a single to right. Sophomore second baseman Jenna Maury later scored when Wells was thrown out trying to steal second.

In the third, senior catcher Emma Page of Portage (Portage Central HS) smacked a two-run triple.

Against Benedictine, six different Hope players recorded at least one RBI, including junior third baseman Kelsey Cooper of Romeo (Romeo HS) with two.

Winning pitcher Kate Laverty (2-2) helped her cause with a second-inning RBI ringle that extended the Flying Dutch's lead to 2-0. The sophomore from Eaton Rapids (Eaton Rapids HS) scattered three hits and one walk over four innings on the mound.

Hope led 7-0 after four innings.