by Greg Chandler

The Hope College softball team rode a career day by senior pitcher/designated player Megan Soderbloom, pictured right, to a doubleheader sweep of Adrian College on Wednesday, 9-3 and 8-0, at the Bulldogs' home field.

The two wins snapped a four-game losing streak suffered by Flying Dutch last weekend. They are now 4-0 in the MIAA and 8-4 overall.

Soderbloom, from Dowagiac, Michigan (Dowagiac HS), went 5-for-7 at the plate in the doubleheader, including a home run in each game. She drove in eight runs and had 14 total bases as well as gained the pitching victory in the opener, going the distance while not giving up an earned run and striking out eight.

"Sodie was incredible on both sides," said head coach Mary VandeHoef. "Her pitching effort was sharp. She just came out, competed hard for us, and gave us a great response after a tough weekend. So I'm really proud of what she did in the circle and at the plate. It was really fun to see her have a day like she did."

Hope trailed 3-2 after five innings in the opener before erupting for seven runs over the final two innings to take the victory. With one out in the top of the sixth, senior outfielder Claire Bates of Midland, Michigan (Bullock Creek HS), drew a walk. Sophomore Haley Bennett of Livonia, Michigan (Franklin HS) followed with a single, and an Adrian error put runners at second and third.

After a strikeout, freshman center fielder Peyton Benjamin of Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Eaton Rapids HS) delivered a double to right, scoring freshmen pinch-runners Grace Henry of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS) and Kate Martin of Whitehall, Michigan (Whitehall HS). giving the Flying Dutch a 4-3 lead.

Hope then exploded for five runs in the seventh. Senior left fielder Jo Cook of Birch Run, Michigan (Birch Run HS) belted her second home run of the season to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Soderbloom went deep for her first homer of the season, a two-run shot. Bates later doubled in a run and Bennett followed with an RBI single.

Soderbloom, a lefthander, scattered nine hits and did not walk a batter in earning her fourth win of the season against two losses.

Besides Soderbloom's three-hit game, Hope's 14-hit attack in the opener included two hits each by Bennett, junior second baseman Arinn King of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS) and junior first baseman Kaelin Callow of Plainfield, Illinois (Plainfield HS).

In the nightcap, Soderbloom struck again early. After King and Cook walked to start the bottom of the first, Soderbloom blasted a three-run homer over the center field fence.

In the third inning, Hope added two more runs on an RBI double by senior shortstop Savannah Dixon of Niles, Michigan (Edwardsburg HS) and an Adrian error.

In the fourth, Soderbloom drove in two more runs with a triple to right field.

Hope closed out the game in the sixth on Bennett's RBI single, activating the 8-run rule.

The Flying Dutch finished the second game with nine hits, led by Soderbloom and Callow with two hits apiece.

"Hitting is certainly contagious, and we obviously did not swing it real well this past weekend," VandeHoef said. "But today we got some things clicking. After facing Adrian five days ago (a 6-4 loss), we found ways to make some really good adjustments and make some things happen.  A couple of big innings today really helped, of course."

Junior Avery Slancik of Scotts, Michigan (Vicksburg HS), pictured left, pitched the first complete game and first shutout of her career, allowing just three hits by the Bulldogs and striking out five. She did not walk a batter in gaining her first win of the season.

"That was by far Avery's best outing," added VandeHoef. "For her to go the distance in the second game was big for us."

The Flying Dutch were to have played Thursday on the road at Anderson (Ind.) University, but that doubleheader was canceled due to forecasted cold temperatures. Hope returns to action Saturday with an MIAA doubleheader at Olivet College. First pitch is 1 p.m.