Hope edges Albion on Brant Kym's three-RBI day

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The Hope College baseball team's cleanup hitter did exactly that on Tuesday at Boeve Stadium.

Shortstop Brant Kym powered the Flying Dutchmen to a 3-2 victory against Albion College by driving in all three runs, including the game-winning, two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The MIAA-leading Flying Dutchmen swept the three-game series from the Britons and moved three games ahead of second-place Kalamazoo College.

Hope (21-7, 12-3 MIAA) has six games remaining in the regular season with series against Calvin University and Trine University. The Flying Dutchmen are seeking their 23rd MIAA title and first since 2013.

Head coach Stu Fritz said Kym has been unbelievable since returning from injury on April 2.

"I just had a feeling he was going to find a pitch to drive," Fritz said. "He's just playing with a ton of confidence. He's put in the work. Right man, right spot there."

Kym is batting .521 on the season, including an MIAA-best .525 during league games.

The senior from Libertyville, Illinois (Libertyville HS) went 3-for-4 against Albion with a RBI singles in the first and third innings and the run-scoring double up the left-field gap in the eighth that snapped a 2-2 tie.

Kym recorded three of Hope's four hits for the game on a cold afternoon at home.

The Flying Dutchmen, who are averaging 11 runs this season, won a rare low-scoring game.

Albion (13-19, 6-9 MIAA) jumped a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but three Hope pitchers held the Britons scoreless over the final eight innings to outduel Albion starter Sean Cooper.

Starting pitcher Graham O'Gorman (Champaign, Illinois / Champaign Central) settled down and struck out a career-high nine batters over seven innings. The sophomore right-hander yielded only three hits.

Left-handed reliever Matt Plaehn retired three of the four batters he faced in the eighth and earned the win. The junior from Okemos, Michigan (Lansing Catholic) improved his record to 4-2.

Right-handed reliever Shane Hykin fired a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season. The senior from Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Northern) struck out two.

Hope's next game is Thursday, April 28, at 4 p.m. against Calvin at Boeve Stadium in the series opener.