The Hope College softball team made its first appearance in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association national rankings in the morning, then kept up its winning ways in the afternoon.

The 23rd-ranked Flying Dutch swept Aurora (Illinois) 4-2 and 1-0 in a nonleague doubleheader in the home opener at Wolters Stadium on Wednesday.

Hope improved to 13-2 overall and while pushing its win streak to 11 games.

In Game 1, freshman shortstop Savannah Dixon of Niles, Michigan (Edwardsburg HS) fueled the Flying Dutch's overcoming of a 2-1 deficit with two hits and three runs batted in.

Dixon, pictured, tied the score in the bottom of the fourth by singling to left and knocking in leftfielder Jo Cook of Birch Run, Michigan (Birch Run).

In the fifth, Dixon broke a 2-2 tie by doubling to left and bringing home designated player Katie Singer of Howell, Michigan (Hartland) and pinch-runner Alex Knorp of Livonia, Michigan (Stevenson).

Winning pitcher Sydney Jones of South Lyon, Michigan (South Lyon) struck out 12 in her sixth complete game of the season.

Jones earlier in the day was named the NFCA Division III Pitcher of the Week.

In Game 2, Cook recorded two of Hope's three hits and scored the game's only run in the bottom of the second when Aurora (9-5) mishandled a grounder by third baseman Morgan Kanouse of Cadillac, Michigan (Cadillac).

Singer (5-1) scattered eight hits over seven innings for her second shutout of the season. She struck out three and did not walk a batter.