Pride Sweep Series-Ending Doubleheader Against Mount Mercy

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Clarke University baseball team wrapped up its four-game set with the Mount Mercy Monday with a pair of wins at Plaster Athletic Complex. 

The Pride (23-10 overall, 12-4 Heart) defeated the Mustangs 8-1 in the first game before concluding the day with a 2-0 triumph to break a three-game losing streak. 

In Game 1, the Mustangs (20-8, 11-3) struck first with an RBI single in the first inning. The Pride tied things up at the bottom of the third when Daniel Phyle hit a sac fly to left field, scoring Maguire Fitzgerald. 

An inning later, Bryce Simon reached first on a fielder's choice before an error by Mount Mercy's pitcher gave way for him to advance to second base, which then allowed Bailin Markridge to bolt for home to give the Pride the 2-1 advantage. 

Batting next, Bubba Thompson advanced Simon to third with a sac bunt, setting the stage for an RBI single from senior catcher Bryce Hinton to put Clarke up 3-1. 

The Pride scored its fourth run of the day at the bottom of the fifth when Victor Lara reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Daniel Phyle to go up three. 

Clarke plated its final three runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Phyle grounded out to second base, advancing Fitzgerald to third and scoring sophomore utility man Andrew Swartz. Lara was then walked before advancing to second on a wild pitch, which also allowed for Fitzgerald to score from third. Finally, Simon knocked a two-out RBI single up the middle to close out the game 8-1. 

Jake Fiorito improved to 4-1 on the year by tossing four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The senior right-hander allowed one run on four hits and three walks, silencing Mount Mercy for most of the game. 

The second game of the doubleheader saw sophomore right-hander Johnny Blake pitch a scoreless five innings with four strikeouts against five hits and a walk. 

Clarke turned the bottom of the fifth into a two-run advantage when Lara broke the scoring drought with a run-scoring double to right field, bringing home outfielder Brendan O'Connor from second base. 

Phyle made it back-to-back doubles, this time scoring Lara to put the Pride up 2-0. Junior lefty Isaac Rohde locked down the final two innings of the game to pick up his fourth save of the year. With the win, Blake improved to 3-4 on the season. 

Clarke will hit the road for a four-game weekend set against Grand View University (8-14, 6-8) starting on Saturday at 1 p.m.