Quesada dazzles in game two as Pride split doubleheader with Northwestern

JOPLIN, Mo. - Following a quick turnaround from their season opening series, the Clarke University baseball team was able to split their doubleheader on Thursday to open their series against Northwestern College at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo.

CU fell in the opener by a final of 10-7 as they shutout the Raiders in game two behind a complete game, seven-inning performance from the Pride's Devan Quesada for the 9-0 win.

Quesada earns his second win in as many starts as he struck out seven batters and only allowed five hits without walking anyone on Thursday evening to move to 2-0 on the early part of the year.

Offensively the Pride broke out in the sixth inning of game two as they plated seven runs with a two-RBI single from Maguire Fitzgerald part of his 3-for-3 game with those two RBIs and a run scored and a three-RBI double from Bubba Thomspon as the Clarke shortstop went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run.

Clarke got on the board early with a run in the first and Bryce Hinton added on with a solo home run in the fourth inning to make it 2-0 until the seven-run outburst in the sixth.

Hinton's smash wasn't the only long ball for the Pride on the day as Greg Bennett also blasted a solo shot in the second inning of the opener as CU would go on to score four runs in that inning behind a Victor Lara two-RBI double but couldn't hold that lead long.

Northwestern came back to score five in the top of the third and would extend their lead to 8-4 before CU got back on the board with three in the bottom of the sixth to make it a one-run game.

After making it 10-7 in the top of the seventh, the Raiders allowed the Pride to load the bases for Bryce Simon to represent the winning run but Simon was retired for the final out of the game to close out the series opening win for NWC.

The Pride and Raiders will suit it back up tomorrow for an 11:00 a.m. CT first pitch of another double header in Joplin but this time at Wendall Stadium.