Leftfielder Brenden Collins and second baseman Nolan Gardner both homered for the Hope College baseball team in a 10-8 loss at Manchester University (Ind.) on Wednesday.

Third baseman Dylan Kleinedler added three RBIs for the Flying Dutchmen (6-10) during the non-league defeat.

Hope jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Freshman shortstop Elliott Peter (Zionsville, Indiana / Zionsville HS) started the rally with an RBI single, then scored on the first home run of the season from Collins (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Hackett Catholic).

Kleinedler (Sterling Heights, Michigan / Stevenson) capped the scoring with the first of his two hits, an RBI infield single. 

Manchester (7-12) answered with three-run homers in the bottom of the first and the bottom of the second off starting pitcher Collin Genuise (Allendale, Michigan / Allendale) to take a 6-4 lead.

The Trojans never relinquished the lead despite Hope producing single runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings. 

Gardner (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids) slugged a solo homer in the seventh.

The Flying Dutchmen scored once in the ninth on a Kleinedler RBI single and loaded the bases with one out against reliever Arturo Casas.

Casas, however, retired the final two batters he faced.

The two teams combined for 23 hits. Hope collected 12 hits against six Manchester pitchers. The Trojans finished with 11 hits against seven Flying Dutchmen pitchers. It was a scheduled bullpen game for both teams.

Freshman rightfielder Charlie Saul (Batavia, Illinois / Batavia) led the Flying Dutchmen in hits by going 3-for-4.

Hope's next game is Friday, March 29, at 4 p.m. at Trine University in the MIAA opener. The Flying Dutchmen will host a doubleheader on Saturday, March 30, at 1 p.m. at Boeve Stadium in the series finale.