Hope College second baseman Nolan Gardner launched a no-doubt grand slam over the right-field fence at Boeve Baseball Stadium and delivered a satisfying exclamation point.

The Flying Dutchmen swept Alma College 8-5 in nine innings and 12-0 in seven innings on Saturday to win the weekend series and reclaim a share of the MIAA lead.

Hope (11-11, 5-1 MIAA) bounced back from 2-1 loss at Alma on Friday in the series opener. 

"I told our kids yesterday we just had to tip our cap to [Alma ace Tyler Johnson]. He is one of the best this league has seen," head coach Stu Fritz said. "We just wanted to be a little more aggressive and have a little more energy today. We came out and got two really good pitching performances. I think Alma is a really good club. Our guys just rose to the challenge."

The Flying Dutchmen joined Adrian College and Kalamazoo College atop the league standings after Kalamazoo split with fourth-place Calvin University and Adrian swept The University of Olivet on Saturday. The Scots dropped to 12-11 overall and 2-3 in MIAA play.

On Monday at 4 p.m., Hope will host Kalamazoo at Boeve Stadium to begin their three-game series.

In Game 2 against Alma, Gardner (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids HS) blasted a two-out, bases-clearing homer that fueled an eight-run inning. It was Gardner's first homer of the season and the third of his career.

Two batters later, junior third baseman Al Money (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) followed with an RBI double. The game ended after Alma batted in the top of the seventh due to the 10-run rule.

The Flying Dutchmen sent 12 batters to the plate during the rally that included two runners scoring on passed balls and one on a bases-loaded walk.

Hope collected eight hits and eight walks against four Alma pitchers.

The Flying Dutchmen provided starting pitcher Jake Van Dam a 3-0 run in the bottom of the first. Senior first baseman Owen Krizan (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven) started the rally with an RBI single.

Van Dam (Cranford, N.J. / Cranford) scattered one hit and four walks over five innings of work while winning for the first time this season. Van Dam (1-0) struck out four.

In Game 1, Hope scored runs in five of the first six innings and never trailed. Senior shortstop Devin Meeuwsen (Rockford, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) slugged a go-ahead solo homer for a 2-1 lead in the second.

The Flying Dutchmen pulled ahead 5-1 with a three-run third. Money followed a sacrifice fly from sophomore leftfielder Brenden Collins (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Hackett Catholic) with a two-out, two-run single.

Alma outhit Hope 13-9 but left a game-high 11 runners on base.

Starting pitcher Mason Belmore (Battle Creek, Michigan / Lakeview) scattered 10 hits and four runs over seven innings for the Flying Dutchmen. The senior right-hander upped his record to 4-1.