by Greg Chandler
The Hope College softball team had its hitting shoes on Monday afternoon, pounding out 34 hits in sweeping a doubleheader from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Olivet College, 14-1 in five innings, and 11-1 in seven innings, at Wolters Stadium.
The Flying Dutch improved to 4-0 in MIAA play and 13-5 overall heading into a conference doubleheader Tuesday at Alma College. First pitch is 3 p.m.
Hope went to work right away in the opener. After spotting the Comets a run in the top of the first inning, the Flying Dutch exploded for six runs in the bottom half to take control of the game.
Sophomore right fielder Grace Henry of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS), this week's MIAA Position Player of the Week, started the uprising with her second home run of the season.
Later in the inning, junior designated player Lexi Potapczak of Naperville, Illinois (Benet Academy), pictured, doubled in a run, sophomore left fielder Vanessa Krombeen of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville Calvin Christian HS) singled in two more, and junior catcher Haley Bennett of Livonia, Michigan (Franklin HS) delivered an RBI single as Hope took a 6-1 lead.
The Flying Dutch added three more runs in the second inning, then tacked on five more runs in the fourth inning on two home runs – a three-run shot by Potapczak, her third homer of the season, and a two-run blast by Bennett, her first roundtripper of the year. Potapczak had a career-high five RBIs to lead the Hope offense, while Bennett knocked in three runs.
Senior righthander Avery Slancik of Scotts, Michigan (Vicksburg) pitched the first four innings to pick up her fifth win in nine decisions in the circle. She allowed just two hits and did not walk a batter while striking out three.
In game two, Hope kept the offense rolling, scoring five runs in the second inning on three hits, four walks, an Olivet error and a passed ball. Senior first baseman Kaelin Callow of Plainfield, Illinois [Plainfield HS] highlighted the uprising with a two-run single. Callow later added RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings.
Senior second baseman Arinn King of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville) closed out the scoring for the Flying Dutch in the seventh with a two-run double, her sixth hit in seven at-bats for the day. Callow went 5-for-8 in the doubleheader, while junior shortstop Cayley Ebeling of Shelby Township, Michigan (Utica) had five hits in seven at-bats for the day.
Three Hope pitchers combined to limit the Comets to five hits in the nightcap. Sophomore right-hander Maddie Gracin of Saint Clair Shores, Michigan (Regina) earned her first win of the season after tossing three innings of one-run relief and striking out three.
Starter and senior righthander Chloe Haskins of Brighton, Michigan (Brighton) struck out four and yielded one hit over three innings. Freshman Grace Connelly of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville) threw a scoreless seventh.
