Hope pitcher Noah Reeves was sharp in his start against rival Calvin.
Knowing the Flying Dutchmen dropped the first game of the series on Friday, Reeves threw a gem to shut out Calvin 2-0 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 25.
Reeves (2-6) pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks. He struck out nine.
Josiah Long came into the game in relief and pitched three scoreless innings to complete the shutout. He allowed one hit and struck out one.
Calvin’s James Ross (1-5) was sharp as well, allowing just one earned run in five innings. He struck out eight and gave up seven hits.
In the fifth inning, Hope’s Colton Kinnie singled in Corbin Bennetts. Hope added another run in the ninth when Carter Perry scored on a wild pitch. Kinnie had three hits and Bennetts had two.
Hope lost the second game of the doubleheader 6-5 to drop to 12-25 and 6-1 in the MIAA.
The Flying Dutchmen led the entire game until the Knights scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a stunning walk-off win.
Calvin’s Noah Swope singled in the winning run in the ninth, where the scoring started with an error, a walk and two hit by pitches.
The five-run ninth off the Hope bullpen spoiled a great start by Avery McEwen, who allowed one earned run on six hits in eight innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
Kennie and Bennetts each had two hits for Hope.
Shortstop Anthony DeVito hit a home run in the series opener on Friday, April 24, but Calvin won 5-2. Calvin starting pitcher Evan Steinbacher held Hope scoreless over his next 7 1/3 innings on the mound.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope gets two pitching gems vs Calvin but ninth-inning rally spoils second
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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