by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College softball team rallied late to stay alive in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament and will continue play this weekend in Angola, Indiana.

The Flying Dutch are scheduled to resume their elimination game against Trine University this morning in the top of the ninth inning with the score tied at 4-4. Hope will be in the field to start the inning.

Hope scored twice in the seventh to force extra innings.

After second baseman Arinn King of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS) led off with a double, first baseman Kaelin Collow, pictured, of Plainfield, Illinois (Plainfield) smacked in a one-out double to score King.

Two batters later, center fielder Jo Cook of Birch Run, Michigan (Birch Run) singled in Callow with the tying run.

It was Callow's second run of the game. She also scored in the fourth on a RBI single by designated player Abby Waller of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland West) to cut Trine's lead to 4-2.

The Hope-Trine winner advances to face the loser of the Calvin College-Saint Mary's College game in another elimination game. The Calvin-Saint Mary's game follows the completion of the Hope-Trine game.

Hope dropped the tournament opener to Calvin, 8-2.

Shortstop Savannah Dixon of Niles, Michigan (Edwardsburg) hit an RBI double in the third that gave her a team-record 48th RBI of the season. She broke a tie with Emily Adams, who had 47 in 2006.

Reliever Avery Slancik of Scotts, Michigan (Vicksburg) added a RBI double in the seventh.