Pride eliminated from Heart Tournament in 10-5 loss to MidAmerica Nazarene

OZARK, Mo. - Playing their second game of the day in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, the Clarke University baseball team was eliminated out of the tournament in a 10-5 game to MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday evening.

Starting pitchers Isaac Rohde for the Pride and Ryan Wilwers for the Pioneers matched each other pitch for pitch through the first three innings before MNU struck first on a pair of RBI singles as a potential third run was cut down at the plate on an outfield assist from Daniel Phyle from center field.

CU tried to mount their first comeback in the sixth inning as they cut into the lead after a leadoff hit by pitch and single from Brendan O'Connor and Thomas Brannon led to an RBI ground out from Kainoa Torres but eventually left the tying run stranded at third base.

MidAmerica Nazarene would answer with a two-run home run from Javier Melendez to make it 4-1 as they would eventually knock Rohde out of the game as the left-hander would finish with a line of four earned runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

The Pioneers would push their lead to 7-1 before a few moments of the teams trading punches would lead to a Kieron Crowder RBI single, a Johnny Blake RBI double a Bubba Thompson sacrifice fly, and another RBI from Torres on a single but MNU pushed to a 10-3 lead by the eighth inning.

Clarke baseball will now await the selection process to the NAIA Baseball Tournament as the fate of the rest of their season lies in the hands of the selection committee. The selection show will take place on the NAIA's YouTube page this Thursday, May 11 at 4:00 p.m. CT.