Pride split Tuesday's Pioneer doubleheader

PARKVILLE, Mo. – Behind a couple good appearances on the mound, first by Johnny Blake in game one, followed by Greg Bennett in game two, the Clarke University baseball team was able to come away with a split in Tuesday's doubleheader against MidAmerica Nazarene University.

Pride baseball fans were treated with a pair of pitchers duels as game one took a scoreless game into the fifth inning before senior Victor Lara doubled to deep center with two outs. Lara would be ran for by LaMotte, Iowa native Andrew Swartz, who would come around to score the first run of the game on a Greg Bennett single.

The 1-0 lead would be in jeopardy in the sixth as Javier Melendez leadoff with a walk, followed by a Noah Castillo single. Blake would get the next batter to pop out, but AJ McMahon walked to load the bases with one out. Blake would get out of the jam with a lineout double-play to end the inning and would finish out the game.

It would be Blake's first complete game of the year and his second win in five starts. He allowed six hits, three walks, and striking out six Pioneer batters.

Pitching for the Pioneers and taking his second loss on the year was junior Tyler Frieders who also went seven innings, giving up five hits, and striking out 10.

The Pioneers got the scoring started in game two in the third inning after a one out single and double had runners on second and third. Melendez would get his second big hit of the series driving in the first run of the game and then Castillo singled to make it 2-0.

The Pride would be hunting for their first run in the fourth inning when Thomas Brannon tripled deep to center. After a walk, CU had runners on the corners with one out, but a pair of swinging strikeouts would leave them stranded.

Brycen Sherwood hit a one out triple in the Pioneer half of the fifth and would come around to score on Castillo's second RBI single of the game.

It would become an important insurance run as the Pride would get a pair of runs back in the sixth and the seventh inning. In the sixth, Cole Swartz picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, but the Pride would leave three runners on. In the seventh, the Pride started with runners on first and second after a single and a hit by pitch. Brannon, who tripled earlier in the game, would make the game 3-2 on a single. After a sac-bunt had runners on second and third with one out, the last two batters would strikeout to finish this one.

Senior pitcher, Bennett picked up his first loss on the campaign, going 5.1 innings, giving up three runs, and striking out seven batters. Boise, Idaho native Brendan Boily pitched the final .2 innings, striking out both batters he faced.

Reece Helland picked up his second win of the series in relief and third of the season. He took over for Ryan Wilwers who pitched 3.2 innings, giving up two hits, no runs, and striking out four. Bryce Brecklin picked up his first save, striking out two Pride batters in his one inning of work.

Pride baseball will stay on the road and travel to Lamoni, Iowa for a March 18th doubleheader against Graceland University starting at 1:00 pm CST.