The Hope College baseball team finished fourth in the 2024 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Flying Dutchmen totaled 31 points in the eight-team poll.
Kalamazoo College, last year’s MIAA regular-season champion, and Adrian College shared the top spot with 44 points. Adrian received four of seven possible first-place votes, while Kalamazoo collected three.
Coaches could not vote for their teams. Third-place Alma College garnered 39 points and one first-place vote.
Hope finished ahead of fifth-place Calvin University (26), sixth-place Trine University (17), seventh-place Albion College (16) and eighth-place The University of Olivet (7).
The Flying Dutchmen open the season on Saturday, Feb. 24, with non-league games against Ripon College (Wis.) and Marian University (Wis.) at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, outside of Indianapolis.
Hope’s home opener is Saturday, March 30, at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader against Trine.
Head coach Stu Fritz leads the Flying Dutchmen. This will be Fritz’s 31st and final season at the helm. As announced in January, Fritz is retiring at the end of the school year.
Hope brings back two All-MIAA selections from last season: first-teamer and senior center fielder Robbie Stuursma (East Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids HS) and fifth-year senior and second baseman Nolan Gardner (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids).
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