Sometimes a single inning can tilt an entire game — or two.
On Friday afternoon, the Hope College softball team unleashed an eight-run inning at Ohio Northern University for a 10-3 victory in Game 1, then a three-run seventh in game two to secure a 9-4 victory over the host Polar Bears.
The Flying Dutch (7-5) aim for a sweep of the ONU Invitational on Saturday, March 21, when they face Ohio Wesleyan University at 10 a.m. and against Wittenberg University at 12 p.m. in Ada, Ohio.
In the opener against Ohio Northern, Hope's first big push of the day came after being down 2-1 entering the sixth inning. The Flying Dutch sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight times.
Senior Kate DeMann (Byron Center, Michigan / South Christian HS) set the tone by reaching base on an error. Junior Kenadee Schnick (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) followed with a single to center, and junior Sophie Stironek (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) dropped a bunt single, loading the bases with no outs.
Sophomore Becca Tuttle (Grand Rapids, Michigan / West Catholic) delivered the first punch, lining a single to left to make it 3–2. Junior Macy Verbeek (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) followed with another RBI single to tie the game. Sophomore Jalen Fossitt (Onondaga, Michigan / Leslie) broke the inning open after turning on a pitch and driving a two-run double into the gap, clearing the bases and giving Hope its first lead of the day at 6–3.
Freshman Emily Brown (Grass Lake, Michigan / Grass Lake) punched a single through the right side to score another run. DeMann, batting for the second time in the inning, doubled to left. Stironek added her second hit of the frame, driving in yet another run.
By the time the dust settled, Hope had stacked eight runs on seven hits. The offense was more than enough for junior Hailey Mellec (Commerce Township, Michigan / Walled Lake Northern), who struck out seven over six innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits.
The nightcap brought a different rhythm but the same result.
Hope jumped ahead 2–0 in the first, but the game tightened as both teams traded scoreless frames through the middle innings.
In the fifth, the Dutch reignited, plating two runs to stretch the lead. The sixth brought two more runs in and by the seventh, Hope had full command, stacking three more runs, highlighted by Brown's pinch-hit RBI triple.
ONU made noise with a three-run sixth, but Hope's response in the seventh, a matching three-run inning, shut down any comeback attempt. Senior Gianna Kerschbaum (Baroda, Michigan / Stevensville-Lakeshore) delivered an effective six-inning start, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out three. Kerschbaum induced nine groundouts and limited ONU to single-run innings until the sixth.
Stironek went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base in game two against the Polar Bears.
Kerschbaum contributed a two-run double, while Brown delivered the game's biggest swing with her RBI triple.
Junior Terin Maynard (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Jenison), Verbeek and Tuttle each added RBI hits.
