Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 
by Alan Babbitt
Four home runs, all in one inning, powered the Hope College softball team to an 8-0 victory at Franklin College (Ind.) and a split of their non-league doubleheader on Friday.
The Flying Dutch (17-7 overall) rebounded after dropping the opener to Franklin, 8-6.
Pictured, from left, Kaelin Callow, Lexi Potapczak, Vanessa Krombeen, Haley Bennett
Hope jumped to a 7-0 lead in Game 2 with a five-run fifth. The Flying Dutch homered in three consecutive plate appearances.
After second baseman Arinn King (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville HS) drew a leadoff walk, first baseman Kaelin Callow blasted a two-run homer to left. It was the third homer of the season for the the senior from Plainfield, Illinois (Plainfield).
Junior designated player Lexi Potapczak (Naperville, Illinois / Benet Academy) followed with a solo blast to center for her fourth home run of the season.
Sophomore left fielder Vanessa Krombeen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Calvin Christian) then stepped up and stroked her second homer of the season.
Two batters later, junior catcher Haley Bennett smacked a two-out solo homer, her third home of the season.
The four home runs are the most in a game for the Flying Dutch since recording six during a 19-4 victory at home vs. Calvin on April 21, 2015.
Winning pitcher Chloe Haskins yielded just one hit over four innings. The senior right-hander from Brighton, Michigan (Brighton) improved to 6-0 after allowing one hit and three baserunners.
Reliever Alaina Adams (Oak Creek, Wisconsin / St. Thomas More) retired three of the four batters she faced in a scoreless fifth.
In Game 1, sophomore center fielder Peyton Benjamin (Eaton Rapids, Michigan / Eaton Rapids) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Benjamin gave Hope a 6-5 lead in the fourth by scoring on King's sacrifice fly.
Franklin (13-12) grabbed the lead in the fifth on first baseman's Makayla Plymale's three-run homer. It was Franklin's third homer of the game.
Callow and Potapczak each had two hits for the Flying Dutch.
For the doubleheder, Callow finished with five hits, while Potapczak had four.
Hope returns to action on Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m. with a non-league doubleheader at Manchester University (ind.).
