Senior Eric Plaehn fired his third shutout of the season to help the Hope College baseball team split its makeup doubleheader at Alma on Monday.

The lefthander from Lansing, Michigan (Catholic Central HS) yielded only three hits during a 3-0 victory against the Scots. He struck out four and walked two.

Plaehn (3-0) lowered his ERA to 1.88.

Hope supported Plaehn with a two-run single in the first inning from rightfielder JP Batts of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake). Centerfielder Mason Opple of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville) scored on a passed ball during the third.

The Flying Dutchmen pushed across the plate two of the nine batters Alma walked.

Hope dropped Game 2 by a 6-4 margin. The Flying Dutchmen are now 10-4 overall and 3-1 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play.

In Game 2, Alma avoided being swept by jumping out to a 6-0 lead after three innings.

Batts went 3-for-4 with a RBI single that started a three-run fourth. He scored during the rally on a passed ball.

Hope returns to action on Thursday, March 30 with a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Calvin.