The Hope College baseball team honored five seniors during Saturday’s season-ending doubleheader against Calvin University at Boeve Baseball Stadium.
Pitchers Mason Belmore (Battle Creek, Michigan / Lakeview) and Trent Johnson (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow), shortstop Dylan Kleinedler (Sterling Heights, Michigan / Stevenson), third baseman Al Money (Midland, Michigan / Midland), and Ben Stratman (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer) were recognized during a pre-game ceremony.
The Flying Dutchmen dropped both games, losing 9-1 and 8-4.
Each player also received hugs from the coaches, beginning with head coach Ryan Dorow, and teammates when they left the field during the final game.
In Game 1, Johnson threw out ceremonial first pitches before Game 1. Due to injury, the 2024 MIAA Pitcher of the Year was limited to three starts this season. The business major went 7-4 as a junior and earned all-region accolades.
In Game 2, Money was the first to walk off after putting down a bunt single down the third-base line in the third inning, replaced by pinch-runner Avery McEwen (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer). The business and economics major finished his career as a four-year starter batting .305.
Kleinedler was next, drawing a leadoff walk in the seventh inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Elliott Peter (Zionsville, Indiana / Zionsville). The business major registered career-highs this season in home runs (2), hits (26) and games played (32).
Belmore walked off the mound after striking out a batter for the first out of the eighth, with reliever Josiah Long (Newaygo, Michigan / Newaygo) taking off. The right-hander threw 127 pitches in a losing effort, striking out nine while allowing seven runs (five earned) in 7.1 innings. The communication major topped the Flying Dutchmen this season in pitching wins after finishing with a 4-7 record.
One batter later, Stratman exited after throwing out a Calvin base runner trying to steal second, with Thatcher Simon (Byron Center, Michigan / Caledonia) taking over behind the plate. The business major hit a career-best .287 this season, his first as a starter.
Calvin (23-16, 15-6) swept the three-game series and clinched a second-place finish in the MIAA with the Game 1 victory.
The Flying Dutchmen (12-17, 7-14) finished seventh in the league standings.
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