The Hope College softball team remained tied atop the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings Wednesday by defeating visiting Saint Mary's College 3-0 and 9-2.

The two wins at Wolters Stadium kept Hope (12-9 overall) even with fifth-ranked Trine (Ind.) University. Both teams have 6-0 league records.

In the first game, winning pitcher Natalie Hiser of Westland (Livonia Churchill HS) fired a one-hit shutout. It was her third shutout of the season.

Hiser (8-2) allowed three baserunners, including a first-inning single.

Click here to read Holland Sentinel feature on Hiser.

Designated player Julie Sobieski of St. Charles, Ill. (St. Charles East HS), blasted her first home run of the season over the left-field scoreboard to give Hope a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

Catcher Adalee Robertson of Flushing (Flushing HS) and shortstop Jenna Maury of Lawton (Lawton HS) added RBI singles for the Flying Dutch.

In the second game, Hope cruised after jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Sobieski capped the early surge by hitting a two-run homer to centerfield. She added a RBI single during a four-run sixth.

Leadoff batter Autumn Anderson of Wayland (Wayland HS) 3-fo-4 with a triple and three runs scored for Hope. Third baseman Kelsey Cooper of Romeo (Romeo HS) went 3-for-3 for the Flying Dutch. 

Winning pitcher Kate Laverty of Eaton Rapids (Eaton Rapids HS) scattered 12 hits and two runs over seven innings. Laverty (4-6) struck out two and walked one.