Pride fall in both ends of second Heart doubleheader at Benedictine

ATCHISON, Kan. - In their weekend closing doubleheader to start conference play, the Clarke University softball team gave up nine runs in each of their games against Benedictine College on Sunday afternoon in 9-1 and 9-3 losses on the road.

The Ravens were able to run away with game one to get to the eight-run rule in the bottom of the fifth inning after taking an early 1-0 lead then giving up that lead for CU to tie it on a Lauren Hefel RBI double in the top of the third.

Benedictine would produce a pair of four-run innings in the fourth and fifth with three different two-RBI swings first a double in the fourth inning from Ryan Cooper then a two-run home run by Amanda Waymire and a two-run single by Megan Forsman to clinch the early win in the fifth.

Seven of those nine runs were scored off of Pride starter Meredith Gatto as she went 4.1 innings allowing seven of the nine runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out seven Raven hitters as BC's pitcher Lily SinghDhillon allowed five hits and walked three while striking out six for her eighth win of 2025.

Game two got off to a more favorable start for Clarke as Kennedi LeDuff launched a two run home run for her first career collegiate home run for the Pride to make it 2-0 after a half inning as LeDuff would finish with a two-hit game after producing one of the five hits for CU in the opener.

That 2-0 lead would last an inning before the Ravens offense picked up with an eight-spot in the bottom of the second using six different scoring plays with no swing resulting in more than two RBIs.

Benedictine would add one more run in the bottom of the third before Hannah Palzkill drove in a run with an RBI single in the top of the sixth but that would be it for the offense on either side for the day for the BC 9-3 win in the finale.

Clarke's Hannah Peña would pitch out of the bullpen and produce 4.1 innings pitched where she just allowed one earned run on one hit and three walks with one strikeout.

Pride softball will play a midweek non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, Mar. 26 when they travel to St. Louis, Mo. to take on the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy with a game one first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT.