Pride snap skid, earn road split at William Penn

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - Entering the day in search of their first win since Apr. 15, the Clarke University softball team was able to earn a split in their final road doubleheader of the 2023 season against William Penn University on Friday evening.

The Pride pulled off a 4-2 win in the day's finale powered behind a pair of two-run innings, the final of which came in the top of the sixth as they back to back hits to lead off the inning, first an Abby Archer double then a Mya Durr single to make it first and third with no outs for Emma Hodnet.

Hodnet would ground a ball to second, advancing Durr and scoring Archer to make it 3-2 then Kynadee Harris would rope a double to right center to score Durr and extend the CU lead to 4-2.

Friday would also mark the return of Malarie Huseman from injury as the Clarke pitcher would throw in relief in each game, earning the win in three shutout innings, allowing only two hits and striking out one batter in her appearance.

Clarke took an early 2-0 lead on a Lily King RBI triple, scoring Harris then Elizabeth Leverton would come up next, ground out to short to score King and make it 2-0 early.

William Penn would win the opener 5-1, scoring five unearned runs off of Clarke starting pitcher Payge Pyszka as the lone Clarke run was scored on an RBI double from Durr that would make it a 2-1 game at the time in the fourth inning.

Clarke softball will return home to Veterans Memorial Park for their final doubleheader of the season as Culver-Stockton College will visit Dubuque on Saturday while the Pride celebrate Senior Day prior to the start of the doubleheader.