by Alan Babbitt
Evan Maday's record-setting hit parade continued for the Hope College baseball team on Friday and helped the Flying Dutchmen beat a nationally-ranked opponent.
Hope earned a 13-5 victory Johns Hopkins University (Md.) — ranked 13th by D3baseball.com — in the Flying Dutchmen's spring-break opener Auburndale, Florida.
Maday went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The fifth-year senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Kentwood HS) became Hope's all-time hit leader earlier this week. He passed Jon Ponte's 177 hits from 2009 to 2012 and now has 182 during his career.
"I've been doing this for 34 years, 29 here at Hope, you don't get many players like him during your coaching career. He's a remarkable young man," head coach Stu Friz said of Maday. "As good of a baseball player as he is, he works just as hard, if not harder. He's a captain and cares about his teammates. He's the full package for sure."
Maday, who's batting .548 this season, had a hand in three of the Flying Dutchmen's first four runs. Hope improved to 7-1 on the season.
In the first inning, Maday stroked a one-out double and stole third. He scored on a single from right fielder Kainan Bayn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East).
In the fifth, Maday extended Hope's lead to 4-0 by smacking an RBI triple that knocked in second baseman Spencer Cable (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville). He later scored during the inning on a wild pitch.
Maday added an RBI single during a four-run seventh. The Flying Dutchmen tacked on for more runs during the eighth.
Hope finished with 13 hits.
Winning pitcher Sean Hoey (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) tossed five scoreless innings during the scheduled nine-inning game4. Hoey struck out two and yielded five hits while raising his record to 3-0.
The Flying Dutchmen return to the field on Saturday, March 19, with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven, Florida.
"They were a World Series team last year and preseason No. 4. He plays a really tough schedule, Fritz said. "These players have been together for a long time. We've got great leadership. We're happy with where we are right now. We know we've got a long way to go, but tonight was an important win for our program."