Sydney Jones struck out a school-record 17 batters in one game as the Hope College softball team defeated visiting Adrian by a 5-1 margin twice on Saturday at Wolters Stadium.
The junior righthander from South Lyon, Michigan (East HS) bested her own previous
record of 14 during Game 1 of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association season-opening
doubleheader.
Hope improved to 12-6 overall with the sweep. The Flying Dutch are tied for second
place in the MIAA standings with Alma and Trine with a 2-0 league record. Saint Mary’s
is 4-0.
Jones lowered her ERA to 1.12. She recorded three strikeouts in a single inning three
times.
Jones yielded only three hits and one walk, including a first-inning RBI double to
Bryanna Collins.
The Flying Dutch quickly gave Jones the lead with a two-run first that included an
RBI single from catcher Hayley Reitsma of Grand Rapids, Michigan (GR Christian) and
a sacrifice fly from designated player Katie Singer of Howell, Michigan (Hartland).
Singer added a second sacrifice fly for Hope’s final run in the fifth.
In Game 2, Singer also went the distance. She scattered eight hits and one run over
seven innings. Singer (3-2) struck out one and walked one.
Back-to-back RBI doubles from rightfielder Amanda Diaz of Round Lake, Illinois (Mundelein)
and centerfielder Sammi Adams of Griffith, Indiana (Griffith) capped a four-run fourth.
Adams drove in two with her hit, including Diaz.
First baseman Sarah Jones of Norton Shores, MIchigan (Mona Shores) hit her second
home run of the season in the sixth.
Hope returns to action on Tuesday, April 4 with a non-league doubleheader against
Wheaton, Illinois.