by Lenny Padilla

The sun was setting fast and there was little daylight left to play baseball.

So Kainan Bayn did something about it. 

The Hope College senior (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East HS), pictured, drew a bases-loaded walk to score the eventual winning run in Game 2 of a doubleheader. Hope rallied from down three runs to win 9-7 over host Albion College on Saturday.

The Flying Dutchmen also won Game 1 by a score of 17-2 for a 10-game winning streak.

In Game 2, Hope trailed 5-3 entering the sixth inning. Senior Spencer Cable (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) drilled a single past the first baseman to score a run to cut the deficit to 5-4.

With runners on first and third, Evan Maday (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Kentwood) sprinted to second base and intentionally got into a rundown to give freshman Al Money (Midland, Michigan / Midland) time to score from third base to tie the score at 5-5.

In the top of the eighth inning, Bayn walked with the bases loaded to score Money for the eventual winning run.

Brant Kym (Libertyville, Illinois / Libertyville) was 3-for-6 with an RBI, Money was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and Cable was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Bayn was 0-for-3 but had three walks.

Senior Shane Hykin (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) got the win (2-1) by pitching two innings of relief. He gave up two runs on one hit and struck out two.

In Game 1, Hope did a lot of scoring without many hits.

The Flying Dutchmen only had nine hits, but they walked 14 times. Cable doubled and was 2-for-5 with and RBI and two runs scored, Maday was 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs. Money was 0-for-1 with four walks and two runs scored. 

On the mound, senior Sean Hoey (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) pitched 5 1/3 strong innings, giving up two runs and striking out five to get the win.

Hope looks to continue its winning streak on Monday, April 25, when the Flying Dutchmen travel to Kalamazoo College for a 2 p.m. contest.