The Hope College softball team is projected to be in the thick of the race for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship again this spring.
The Flying Dutch finished third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll with 48 points
behind preseason favorite Calvin College and Trine University.
Coach Mary VandeHoef and the Flying Dutch are coming off one of the best seasons in
school history.
The Flying Dutch established a school record with 34 wins in 2018 while advancing
to the NCAA Division III Super Regional. They were MIAA Tournament champions and NCAA
regional champions.
Hope returns five starters, including leadoff hitter and first baseman Shay Pinhey
of Ann Arbor, Michigan (Huron HS). The senior finished with the second-highest batting
average on the team last season at .373.
The Flying Dutch are scheduled to open the season on Monday, March 4 at Manchester
College (Indiana).