Pride fall in pair of run rule games to Park

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Returning to conference play following back-to-back days in the non-conference, the Clarke University softball team suffered a pair of defeats via the eight-run rule to Park University at home on Saturday afternoon.

Game one was closed out by the Pirates in five innings by an 8-0 final score as it didn't reach an eight-run differential in game two until the sixth inning for a 9-1 PU victory to close out the doubleheader sweep.

Each game saw the Pride struggle in the circle in just a single inning as a five-run fifth inning propelled Park to get to that eight-run threshold of game one while six runs in the top of the third in game two broke the scoreless tie that maintain through two innings.

Offensively, CU managed just two hits in the opener while they got four hits and scored their run in an unearned fashion in the finale with Lauren Feine of the Pirates striking out eight Clarke hitters in game one while the combination of Myel White and Hanna Vaught struck out four in game two.

Over the two games, the Pride got hits from Kynadee Harris, Oakleigh Harman, Harlee Makue-Vasconcellos, Lauren Hefel, Hannah Palzkill, and Jenna Ulin with Reece Fleming scoring the lone run on the day and Mya Durr recording the RBI on that play.

Clarke softball will finish off their four-day homestand on Sunday afternoon when Peru State College comes to Veterans Memorial Park on Apr. 13 for another 1:00 p.m. CT scheduled game one first pitch between the Pride and Bobcats.