Rightfielder JP Batts of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake) collected three hits and a RBI for the Hope College baseball team in a 6-4 loss to Benedictine, Illinois on Wednesday that closed the Flying Dutchmen's trip to Florida.

Hope (7-3 overall) won five of eight games the Flying Dutchmen played down south.

The Flying Dutchmen could not recover after Benedictine (4-5) jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Hope scored twice in the ninth but stranded leftfielder Mason Opple of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville) at third base in the ninth after his RBI triple pulled the Flying Dutchmen within two runs. He knocked in second baseman Jordon Fairchild, who had started the rally with a run-scoring single.

Hope is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, March 25 with an MIAA opening doubleheader at Alma.