AUBURNDALE, Fla. - A strong outing from Ben Havel, an eighth-inning run, and a crucial defensive play in the ninth propelled Elmhurst to a 3-2 victory over Hope.
 

Havel tossed eight innings, allowing only two runs on six hits, while striking out four and walking three. Ben Modesitt earned his third save of the seaso by stranding runners on the corners in the ninth.

Hope tied the ballgame at two with an RBI single from Landon Bower in the eighth, but Elmhurst rallied in the eighth to retake the lead. Brett Bayer led off the inning with a single through the left side. With one away, Austin MacMillan walked, advancing Bayer to second. Christian Ott singled, but Bayer was called out due to interference. With runners still on first and second, but two away, McReynolds reached on an error by the pitcher, which scored MacMillan and gave Elmhurst the lead.

In the ninth, Hope threatened, but Elmhurst fended the Flying Dutch off. Nicholas LePore singled to right field and advanced to second on a passed ball. Nick Glowacki reached on an error trying to bunt LePore over, but the second baseman Bayer backed up the play and gunned down LePore trying to score the tying run. After Jonathon Sojka walked, he ran into a fielder's choice, which put the tying run 90 feet away. Modesitt forced Hope's leadoff hitter Brady VanderWeele to ground out to end the ballgame.

The game began with three scoreless frames before Hope broke open the scoring with a Luke Brower single. Elmhurst scored in each of the next two innings, setting up the late-game drama. Greg Struck and Brandon Kressner both had an RBI single for the Bluejays.

Elmhurst faces the College of Mount St. Vincent in a doubleheader tomorrow (Tuesday, March 22).