Currey Thomas

The Hope College baseball team completed a four-game sweep of Calvin College for the first time in seven years on Saturday after taking a doubleheader from the Knights.

The Flying Dutchmen won 3-1 and 7-4 at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids to stay even with Adrian College atop the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings.

Hope, which leads the all-time series with Calvin 107-56, improved its record this season to 8-7 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play.

In the first game, Hope starting pitcher Currey Thomas outdueled counterpart Nate Schepers over seven innings.

Thomas (3-1) allowed only two hits and one run, giving up a second-inning RBI single to Calvin rightfielder Michael Kamp that plated designated hitter Peter Cupery. Thomas struck out two and walked two.

The junior from Grandville (Grandville HS) pitched the ninth complete game of his career. He's now tied for ninth all-time at Hope with Matt Widenmier (2000-03) and Andrew Vlasak (2004-05).

All three runs Hope pushed across against Schepers (1-1) were unearned.

The Flying Dutchmen took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third.

Senior centerfielder Tim Bodine of Gurnee, Ill. (Warren Township HS) reached on an one-out error, moved to third on a single by rightfielder Devin Schaefers of Lake Forest, Calif. (El Toro HS) and scored on a single from second baseman Brady VanderWeele of Kalamazoo (Parchment HS).

Schaefers later scored on a two-out passed ball. VanderWeele moved to third on the play and came home on a single by senior third baseman Eric Dawson of Grand Haven (Midland HS).

In the second game, Hope overcame a 2-0 Calvin lead with a five-run fourth. Dawson cleared the bases with a double to start a rally that first baseman Ben Pearson of Madison, Wis. (West HS), capped by smacking a two-run double.

Winning pitcher Austin Goodyke of Grandville (Calvin Christian HS) allowed eight hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He is now 3-1 on the season.

Losing pitcher Cory Laster (1-2) went the distance. He allowed eight hits and seven runs over six innings.

Cupery, designated hitter Coit Wolfe, third baseman Travis Kraai and rightfielder Jordan VanderWall each had RBIs for Calvin (7-8, 2-5).