Hope Softball Takes Tournament Finale On Walkoff, Earns Split On Day

Shortstop Jenna Maury's one-out single delivered the second walkoff, extra-inning win of the week for the Hope College softball team on Saturday.

The Flying Dutch beat Wisconsin-LaCrosse 4-3 in eight innings in their final game at the Illinois Wesleyan Tournament when third baseman Katrina Ellis of Goodrich, Michigan (Goodrich HS0 scored from third on Maury's hit.

Hope evened its record at 11-11 overall after rebounding from a 2-1 loss to Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the morning.

Under tiebreaker rules, LaCrosse and Hope started their at-bats in the eighth with runners on second base.

The Flying Dutch kept LaCrosse (14-8) off the scoreboard in the top of the inning. A runner was called out to end the inning for leaving the base too early following a flyout to left.

Hope did not waste its opportunity. Ellis started on second and moved to third on a grounder. Maury, from Lawton, Michigan (Lawton HS) singled her home.

Winning pitcher Kate Laverty of Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Eaton Rapids HS) scattered four hits and one run in five innings of relief. Laverty (6-3) struck out one.

Against Eau Claire, leftfielder Noelle Jackson of Grand Blanc, Michigan (Grand Blanc HS) led the Flying Dutch's seven-hit attack with two singles.

Pinch-runner Alex Knorp of Livonia, Michigan (Stevenson HS) scored Hope's run on a fourth-inning bunt single by Shay Pinhey of Ann Arbor, Michigan (Pioneer HS).

Losing pitcher Syndey Jones of South Lyon, Michigan (South Lyon East HS) scattered four hits and two runs (one earned) over 5 2/3 innings. 

Hope returns to action on Monday, April 11 when the Flying Dutch host Olivet for a 3 p.m. MIAA doubleheader.