by Alan Babbitt

Reece Crabtree did not flinch as playful teammates stacked baseball cap after baseball cap on his head during a celebratory post-game interview.

Pressure? That was nothing compared to what the Hope College right-hander faced twice at Boeve Stadium on Thursday.

Crabtree, pictured left, converted his second relief opportunity into a season-saving one for the Flying Dutchmen — protecting a perilous lead and going a season-high 4 ⅔ innings during a 14-6 victory against Calvin University in an MIAA Tournament elimination game.

Hope, the regular-season MIAA champion, advanced to the championship round on Friday, May 13, that begins at noon. The Flying Dutchmen must defeat Kalamazoo College twice to advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Crabtree (Reynoldsburg, Ohio / Reynoldsburg HS) earned the win in relief against Calvin after issuing a bases-loaded, walk-off walk with two outs to Kalamazoo in an 11-10, 10-inning loss during Friday's first game.

"I just had to dial-in," Crabtree said. "I contributed a little bit to the Kalamazoo loss. I knew if I got put back into that same situation I was going to be prepared for it."

Watch interview with Reece Crabtree

MIAA Tournament Website

After cooling off amid near 90-degree temperatures, Hope came back after Calvin eliminated Adrian College with an 11-8 victory and eliminated the Knights (19-18).

The outcome hung in the balance in the fifth inning when Calvin chased starter Graham O'Gorman (Champaign, Illinois / Champaign Central). Despite a pair of two-run homers from All-MIAA shortstop Brant Kym (Libertyville, Illinois / Libertyville), the Knights cut Hope's lead to 5-4 and loaded the bases with one out when Crabtree entered.

Crabtree retired both batters he faced, striking out the first and getting a diving stop on a sharply hit grounder behind the bag from first baseman Andrew Gilpin (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton).

Calvin did not score again until its last at-bat in the ninth. Crabtree (1-2) struck out four while allowing seven hits, one walk and two runs.

"He's really been a calming influence all year," head coach Stu Fritz said of Crabtree. "He felt really bad about the first game. Short memory … came back in Game 2 and really did a fantastic job."

Hope broke up the game with a seven-run seventh. The Flying Dutch sent 10 batters to the plate, beginning with a leadoff solo home run from MIAA MVP and center fielder Evan Maday.

The senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Kentwood) joined current associate head coach Chad Ruby (1998) and B.J. Maas (2003) with a school-record 11th home run of the season. Maday added a single in the seventh for his career-high 65th hit of the season that left him three behind Ryan Konkle's 2016 school record.

Designated hitter Spencer Cable's two-run homer capped the seven-hit outburst for the inning.

The Flying Dutchmen outhit Calvin, 18-16. Designated hitter Nick Vogel went 4-for-5 with three RBIs for the Knights.

"Tough loss (to Kalamazoo). A credit to our kids to bounce back," Fritz said. "They got a beautiful place to go and relax. There was no doubt in my mind they would be ready to go. We came out and started swinging it. I was pretty confident we would be just fine. We were more than just fine. It was a fireworks show in Game 2."