by Alan Babbitt

Kaelin Callow's eighth-inning two-run homer capped a perfect start to the Hope College softball team's spring break trip to Florida.

Callow's blast capped a three-run top of the eighth inning that secured a 6-4 victory for the Flying Dutch against The College of New Jersey on Friday.

Earlier in the day,  Hope scored the final three runs of the game to claim a 6-3 victory against St. Norbert College (Wis.).

The Flying Dutch improved to 3-1 overall.

Against TCNJ, Hope forced extra innings when pinch-runner Alaina Adams (Oak Creek, Wisconsin / St. Thomas More) scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh after a TCNJ error. 

After winning pitcher Avery Slancik stranded a runner at second in the bottom of the event, the Flying Dutchmen erupted for three runs in the eighth. Second baseman Arinn King (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) hit a one-out sacrifice fly to bring in third baseman Bre Nolan (Metamora, Michigan / Lapeer).

The next batter, Callow (Plainfield, Illinois / Plainfield), pictured left,homered over the left field fence to score shortstop Grace Henry (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudonville).

Slancik (Scotts, Michigan / Vicksburg) scattered 11 hits and four runs over eight innings. Slancik evened her record at 1-1.

Against St. Norbert, Hope snapped a 3-3 tie with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly from leftfielder Vanessa Krombeen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Calvin Christian) that brought home King. Krombeen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

King batted again during the sixth and smacked a two-run homer that scored pinch-hitter Sydney Zombo (Clinton Township, Michigan / Fraser)..

It was King's second homer of the day. King hit a solo homer in the first against St. Norbert.

Adams earned the decision after tossing three innings of one-run relief.

Hope plays two more times on Saturday, March 19, in Clermont, Florida: 3 p.m. vs. Tufts (Mass.) and 5:45 p.m. vs. Benedictine (Ill.).