by Alan Babbitt

Left fielder Vanessa Krombeen's record-tying performance helped the Hope College softball team rally and finish runner-up in the MIAA Tournament on Saturday at Trine University.

The sophomore from Grandville, Michigan (Calvin Christian HS) recorded a seven-RBI game during a 9-6 victory against Calvin University that advanced the Flying Dutch to the championship round.

Unfortunately for the Flying Dutch, Trine delivered the big hits during the championship round and won, 6-1.

Hope is now 26-12 on the season and needs an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The 48-team field is announced on Monday, May 9, at 1 p.m. There are 19 Pool C (at-large berths).

Against Calvin, Krombeen tied the school record for RBIs in a game.

Krombeen, pictured, matched Julie Sobieski's seven-RBI effort against Calvin on May 1, 2014 by smacking a three-run triple and a grand slam.

in the first inning, Krombeen staked Hope to a 3-0 lead with a triple to center that scored junior Lexi Potapczak (Naperville, Illinois / Benet Academy), senior Kaelin Callow (Plainfield, Illinois / Plainfield) and sophomore Peyton Benjamin (Eaton Rapids, Michigan / Eaton Rapids).

After Calvin pulled withing a run, shortstop Cayley Ebeling (Shelby Township, Michigan / Utica) extended Hope's lead to 5-2 with a two-run single in the sixth that plated Callow and senior Arinn King (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville).

The two teams combined for 10 runs during the final two innings.

In the seventh, Hope capitalized on a Calvin error that kept the inning going when Krombeen blasted a two-out grand slam that scored Potapczak, King and Benjamin.

Calvin scored three times during its last at-bat before reliever Alaina Adams (Oak Creek, Wisconsin / St. Thomas More) recorded the final out.

Winning pitcher Chloe Haskins improved to 10-0. The senior from Brighton, Michigan (Brighton) scattered seven hits and two runs over four innings of work.

Hope then needed to defeat top-seeded Trine twice to win the double-elimination tournament.

The Thunder never trailed after striking for a run in the first and two in the second.

Sophomore Grace Henry (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) knocked in Hope's run with a fourth-inning grounded out that scored King.

Senior Bre Nolan (Metamora, Michigan / Lapeer) had two of Hope's six hits.