Pair of quality efforts come up short in doubleheader losses to No. 12 Grand View

DES MOINES, Iowa - Facing their highest ranked opponent of the season in Heart of America Athletic Conference foe No. 12 Grand View University, the Clarke University softball team dropped a pair of lowing scoring games in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday afternoon.

The Vikings were able to pull off a 3-2 win in game one followed by a 2-0 win in the finale as early runs were key for Grand View in their victories over the Pride.

In the opener, a two-run bottom of the first and a single run in the third was all they needed against Kila Carbine as a Malarie Huseman two-run home run in the fourth cut the deficit to 3-2 but CU wasn't able to put that tying run across the plate.

Carbine finished that game with a strong six innings allowing just those three runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts but the offense was only able to produce a pair of Samantha Stout hits outside of the Huseman home run as the only hits in the game.

In game two, it was more of the same offensively for the Pride as they only were able to get a Lindsey Herrmann single and a Lily King bunt single as both came in the late portions of the game to allow a tying run to step to the plate for Clarke but they were unable to cash in in the sixth and seventh innings.

Huseman followed up Carbine's strong pitching outing with one of her own going the full six innings allowing only one earned run on five hits with no walks and a strikeout on the day.

Clarke softball will continue on a three-day road trip as they'll make up originally scheduled home games against Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. on Thursday with the doubleheader scheduled to start up at 2:00 p.m. CT.