Pride split doubleheader in final day at Stephens
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke (IA) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
| Stephens | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke (IA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Stephens | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | X | 5 | 7 | 5 |
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Closing out a four-game series on the road, the Clarke University softball team earned a 7-3 win and dropped the finale 5-1 to split Monday's doubleheader against Stephens College.
In their win, the Pride opened the scoring with a two-run top of the first with the help of a defensive miscue from the Stars as Stephens would answer in the third and fourth to cut into the CU lead then eventually take their first lead at 3-2 after a two-RBI single by Mariah Thibodeaux.
It wouldn't take long for Clarke to answer the answer as they would score four runs in the top of the fifth, capped off by a two-run home run from third baseman Leah Gray as she launched her first home run of the season to make it 6-3 at the time before they would add one more in the sixth on a Malarie Huseman single.
That would be enough for relief pitcher Payge Pyszka who would pitch the sixth and seventh innings scoreless only allowing one hit and struck out a batter over two innings to close out the win for Sydney Haase, who would get credit for the win after she threw two innings in relief of Ella Wetjen, who got her CU debut on Monday to start the game, going three innings to allow one earned run on one hit and two walks.
Huseman and Gray combined for five of the team's seven runs driven in as five other members of the Pride finished with hits, including a two-hit game from sophomore Hannah Palzkill.
Gray would also drive in the single run scored in the day's finale with a third inning single that would make the score 3-1 at the time but that would be all the offense could get across the plate with CU only finishing with six hits in that game as a team, two off the bat of sophomore Emma Hodnet.
Clarke softball will be off for the rest of the week until the head south to Florida for their spring break tip to the USSSA Space Coast Complex where both their varsity and varsity reserve teams will compete against other NAIA schools as the varsity team will play in six games from Monday to Friday in Melbourne, Fla.