by Alan Babbitt

A walk-off, eighth-inning single powered the Hope College softball team to a split of its two games on Friday in Clermont, Florida.

The Flying Dutch defeated St. Olaf College (Minn.), 7-6 in extra innings, then lost to Masschusetts Institute of Technology, 8-0 in six innings, on the final day of their spring trip.

Hope is now 7-5 on the season.

Against St. Olaf, the Flying Dutch scored twice in the bottom of the eighth.

Centerfielder Peyton Benjamin (Eaton Rapids, Michigan / Eaton Rapids), pictured, smacked a one-out, walk-off single inside the third-base line that scored catcher Haley Bennett (Livonia, Michigan / Benjamin Franklin) from second. 

One batter earlier, rightfielder Grace Henry (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) singled in shortstop Cayley Ebeling (Shelby Township, Michigan / Utica) from second. 

St. Olaf took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth on a two-out Shreya Ashok RBI single. In the seventh, St. Olaf forced extra innings with a two-out Abby Grismer RBI single.

Hope grabbed a 5-4 lead with a three-run third. Ebeling, Henry and pinch-hitter Sydney Zombo (Clinton Township, Michigan / Fraser) each delivered RBI singles.

The Flying Dutch answered a four-run St. Olaf first with two runs in their first at-bat. Leftfielder Vanessa Krombeen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Calvin Christian) hit a two-run single.

Winning pitcher Alaina Adams (Oak Creek, Wisconsin / St. Thomas More) scattered four hits and two runs over five innings of work. Adams (2-1) struck out four and walked one.

Against MIT, Anya Chase fired a one-hitter against Hope with nine strikeouts and three walks. 

Benjamin broke up Chase's no-hit bid with a one-out, sixth-inning single. MIT (7-7) totaled 13 hits, including three doubles, against three Flying Dutch pitchers.

Hope's next games are Tuesday, March 29, with a non-league doubleheader at Anderson University (Ind.).