by Alan Babbitt

With the tying run on second base in extra innings, reliever Dane Martin saved the day for the Hope College baseball team.

The right-hander from New Baltimore, Michigan (L'Anse Creuse North HS) retired both batters he faced to secure a 4-3 victory in eight innings in Game 2 of a non-league doubleheader at Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday.

Hope rebounded from a 4-3 walk-off loss in Game 1. The Flying Dutchmen are now 9-6 on the season.

Martin earned his second save of the season by recording a popout and a flyout. The junior took over junior reliever and winning pitcher Graham O'Gorman of Champaign, Illinois (Central), who gave up one earned run in two innings on the mound.

Hope snapped a 3-3 tie with an unearned run in the top of the eighth.

Third baseman Joey Merucci (Northville Township, Michigan/Detroit Catholic Central) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Caleb Regan (Grand Rapids, Michigan/Byron Center).

After moving to third on Ted Eppinga's single, Merucci scored when MSOE threw the ball away during a pickoff attempt.

Hope sent the game to extra innings with a seventh-inning rally.

Down 3-2 after a three-run MSOE sixth, leadoff batter Spencer Cable led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. The junior right fielder from Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville) advanced to third on a Nolan Gardner sacrifice bunt, then a wild pitch. 

Designated hitter Cal Barrett (Chelsea, Michigan/Chelsea) knocked home Cable with an infield single. It was Barrett's second RBI of the game; he also doubled home center fielder Evan Maday in the fifth inning.

Maday (Grand Rapids, Michigan/East Kentwood) opened Hope's scoring with a first-inning RBI single that plated Gardner.

In Game 1, Merucci tied the score at 3-3 with a three-run fifth that featured a tying, two-run double that brought home Maday and Gardner (Grand Rapids, Michigan/East Grand Rapids). Designated hitter Kainan Bayn (Zeeland, Michigan/East) had a sacrifice fly that scored Cable.

MSOE scored the winning run with two outs in the seventh on a single, stolen base, and another single.

The Flying Dutchmen equaled MSOE's seven hits but stranded 12 baserunners.

Hope's next game is Tuesday, April 6 with a 3 p.m. nine-inning game at Grand Valley State University.