The Hope College softball team showed resilience and determination in Game Two at Alma College on Thursday, pulling off a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory to split the doubleheader.
The Flying Dutch bounced back after losing the opener, 2-1, after a sixth-inning rally from the Scots.
Hope (18-12 overall) is in fourth place in the MIAA standings with a 6-4 league record following its walk-off victory.
In Game 2, the Flying Dutch rallied late with runs in the fifth and seventh innings after a two-run, third-inning homer from Morgan Brandau put Alma up 2-0.
In the fifth inning, junior Gianna Kerschbaum (Baroda, Michigan / Stevensville-Lakeshore HS) delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home sophomore Terin Maynard (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Jenison) to cut the deficit in half.
In their last at-bat, the Flying Dutch scored twice without recording an out. Sophomore Sophie Stironek (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) singled home Maynard with the tying run, putting Stironek on second and senior Mady Pahl (Beaverton, Michigan / Beaverton) on third.
After an intentional walk, freshman Olivia Miller (Hudsonville, Michigan / Unity Christian) knocked in Pahl with the winning run on a single to right-center.
Hope's bats came alive in Game 2, racking up 12 total hits. Maynard finished with three hits and two runs scored. Pahl collected three hits, Stironek two.
In the circle, sophomore Hailey Mellec (Commerce Township, Michigan / Walled Lake Northern) allowed just six hits through seven innings pitched against 30 batters to keep Alma at bay.
The Flying Dutch took an early Game 1 lead in the top of the third inning when Pahl singled to center field, driving in junior pinch-runner Mya Spisz (Oxford, Michigan / Oxford) for a 1-0 lead.
Despite strong offensive contributions, including three doubles, and hits from Pahl (one hit, one RBI), Kerschbaum (two hits), and freshman Jalen Fossitt (Onondaga, Michigan / Leslie) (one hit), Alma rallied for the victory. The Scots capitalized in the bottom of the sixth inning to score two runs.
Kerschbaum pitched six solid innings but took the loss, scattering five hits and two runs.
Hope travels to nationlly-ranked and MIAA-leading Trine University for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 26, at 3 p.m.