by Mackenzie McMahon

Six innings and five innings were all the Hope College softball team needed in its opening Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association games against Adrian College. The Flying Dutch took down the Bulldogs with patience, skill, and a powerful offense on Thursday afternoon with 12-4 and 9-0 wins. 

"I think we certainly had a great mindset today and made good adjustments and stayed patient," said head coach Mary VandeHoef of the two wins. 

Hope improves to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play. 

The first of two games had the home team with a 5-0 lead after just two innings, with Hope grabbing four runs in the bottom of the first. The Orange and Blue capped the game in the bottom of the sixth with another four-run inning which included a Kaelin Callow homerun. 

Callow, a senior from Plainfield, Illinois (Plainfield HS), in addition to her second home run of the season, also had a team-high three hits in just four at bats. Sophomore Grace Henry (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville), pictured right, junior Lexi Potapczak (Naperville, Illinois / Benet Academy), sophomore Vanessa Krombeen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Calvin Christian), and junior Cayley Ebeling (Shelby Township, Michigan / Utica) each contributed two hits apiece in the double-digit win. 

Avery Slancik pitched for Hope for five innings, collecting two strikeouts, and did not walk a single batter in the winning effort. Slancik, a native of Scotts, Michigan (Vicksburg) moved to 4-4, as the senior picked up her first MIAA conference win of the season. Sophomore Alaina Adams (Oak Creek, Wisconsin / St. Thomas More) moved onto the mound for one inning, allowing just a single hit against the four batters faced in the final inning. 

The nine-run shutout win to complete the series sweep of Adrian was fueled by an eight-run fourth inning for the Flying Dutch. 

Heny would lead Hope offensively, with a team-high three hits, while recording two stolen bases. Henry and Callow each grabbed two RBIs en route to Hope's 11th win this season. 

Potapczak, junior Haley Bennett (Livonia, Michigan / Benjamin Franklin) and senior Bre Nolan (Metamora, Michigan / Lapeer) each contributed two hits in the big second win over Adrian. 

Senior Chloe Haskins (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) threw a one-hitter in just four innings on the mound for the Flying Dutch, walking one and firing off two strikeouts on the Bulldogs. Haskins is now 5-0 this season. Sophomore Maddie Gracin (Saint Clair Shores, Michigan / Regina) faced off with three batters to finish the fifth inning, grabbing a single strikeout. 

Hope College now looks to its next MIAA series, hosting Olivet on Saturday, April 9. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., with the second game at 3 p.m.