Hope Baseball Erupts For Seven-Run Eighth, Rallies Past Calvin

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Ryan Konkle's final hit in a torrid stretch for the Hope College baseball team against Calvin sparked an important rally Tuesday.

The senior from Marshall, Michigan (Marshall HS) hit a game-tying homer to start a six-run, eighth-rally rally that resulted in a 12-6 win for the Flying Dutchmen.

Hope (7-10 overall) rallied with home wins on consecutive days to split the four-game series. With a 3-5 league record, the Flying Dutchmen moved into a fifth-place tie with Calvin in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings.

Konkle batted .714 (10-14) with two home runs and nine RBI during the Calvin series, including a 4-of-5 effort on Tuesday.

Konkle finished with two RBI and two runs scored as he raised his batting average to .424.

After Konkle's one-out blast tied the score at 6-6, the Flying Dutchmen tacked on six more runs in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter Nicholas Lepore of Clinton Township, Michigan (Warren De La Salle HS) followed with a two-run double. Second baseman Andrew Zawacki of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids HS) contributed a RBI single. Shortstop Brady VanderWeele of Kalamazoo, Michigan (Parchment HS) smacked a sacrifice fly. Centerfielder Nicholas Holt of Muskegon, Michigan (Catholic Central HS) hit a run-scoring double. Zawacki scored on a wild pitch.

Matt Glowacki of Goodrich, Michigan (Goodrich HS) earned his first win with two innings of scoreless relief.

The Flying Dutchmen outhit Calvin 16-9.

Four Hope players had two hits apiece: Zawacki, catcher Nick Glowacki of Goodrich, Michigan (Goodrich HS), designated hitter Luke Brower of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) and first baseman Landon Brower of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS).

The Flying Dutchmen return to action on Friday, April 8 when they host Kalamazoo for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.