Senior catcher Ben Stratman drove in two for the Hope College baseball team during a 14-3, seven-inning loss to Kalamazoo College on Tuesday at Boeve Baseball Stadium.
The Flying Dutchmen dropped the opener of a three-game series that is scheduled to be played over three weeks.
Stratman (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer HS) hit a third-inning sacrifice fly, starting a two-run rally that cut the Hornets’ lead to 4-2.
One batter later, sophomore second baseman Elliot Peter (Zionsville, Indiana / Zionsville) smacked an RBI single to knock in freshman leftfielder Corbin Bennetts (Jenison, MIchigan / Jenison).
Kalamazoo (17-5, 3-1 MIAA) answered with a five-run fourth to break open the game. The Hornets finished with 15 hits, including three apiece from four batters. Leftfielder Logan Lockhart and centerfielder Robert Newland both went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Stratman added an RBI single in the seventh.
Bennetts singled twice, recording two of Hope’s four hits against five Kalamazoo pitchers.
The Flying Dutchmen (6-16, 1-3 MIAA) are scheduled to play next on on Friday, April 4, at 4 p.m. against Alma College at Boeve Baseball Stadium. The three-game series is scheduled to conclude with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5, at 1 p.m. at Alma.
