A three-hour rain delay did not damper either the spirits or the bats of the Hope College baseball team.

The Flying Dutchmen beat Alma 12-2 in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament elimination game Thursday at Adrian despite a lengthy interruption after the first inning.

Hope (24-18 overall) totaled 15 hits to earn a rematch with Kalamazoo Friday and an opportunity to claim a berth to the NCAA Division III Championship. First pitch is noon, with the Flying Dutchmen needing to force a winner-take-all second game.

Hope rebounded to top Alma for the second time in two days after losing to Kalamazoo 2-0 earlier Thursday.

The Flying Dutchmen jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before the rain delay started at 6:30 p.m.

Leftfielder Ryan Konkle of Marshall, Michigan (Marshall HS) and first baseman Landon Brower of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) delivered back-to-back RBI singles.  Third baseman Danny Carrasco of Grandville, Michigan (Calvin Christian HS) knocked in the third run on a fielder's choice.

The rain delay lasted until 9:29 p.m.

When the game resumed, Hope pushed its lead to 7-0 with two unearned runs in the second and two more in the third on a single from centerfielder Ben De Ritter of Jenison, Michigan (Jenison HS).

Winning pitcher Austin Goodyke of Grandville, Michigan (Calvin Christian HS) went the distance. Goodyke (5-4) struck out eight and allowed nine hits over nine innings.

Rightfielder JP Batts of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake HS) went 4-for-5 to top the Flying Dutchmen. 

First baseman Landon Brower of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, including a two-run single in a five-run eighth. Luke Brower capped the scoring with a three-run homer in the eighth.