by Lenny Padilla

Spencer Cable was in a hitting mood on Saturday.

The Hope College senior led off Game 2 of a doubleheader with a home run and his teammates caught the hitting bug, too. 

The Flying Dutchmen crushed Franklin 27-7 in Game 2 at Beech Grove High School in Beech Grove, Indiana after dropping Game 1, 18-6.

The 27 runs was the most for Hope since a 28-2 win vs. Alma College in 2010 at Boeve Stadium.

Hope received four home runs in Game 2: Cable, Evan Maday, Caleb Regan and Dylan Kleinedler.

The Flying Dutchmen collected hits and drew 13 walks. Cable (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville HS) was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

Senior Evan Maday (Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Kentwood) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior Kainan Bayn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) was 3-for-7 with four RBIs, including a double. Ragan (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Byron Center), the junior catcher, was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

Freshman second baseman Dylan Kleinedler (Sterling Heights, Michigan / Stevenson), pictured, went 2-for-3 with five RBIs and four runs scored.

Hope starting pitcher Matt Plaehn (Okemos, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) was roughed up for five earned runs in four innings pitched. He walked eight and struck out six to get win.

Sophomore Graham O'Gorman (Champaign, Illinois / Champaign Central) pitched two innings of scoreless relief and struck out three batters. Senior Micah Holzwarth (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville HS) pitched one inning, giving up two earned runs. 

In Game 1, the Hope offense had just five hits. Sophomore Robbie Stuursma (Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids HS) hit his first home run of the season. He was 1-for-2 with three runs scored He walked twice. In Game 2, Stuursma doubled and was 1-for-3 with three runs scored. Bayn was 1-for-4 with a two-run double in Game 1. 

The Flying Dutchmen return to play next weekend when they play a three-game series at Earlham College (Ind.) on Friday-Saturday, March 11-12.