Pioneers slow Pride offense in Tuesday doubleheader sweep

OLATHE, Kan. - In a key doubleheader series in the late stretches of the 2025 regular season, the Clarke University softball team dropped both ends of the Tuesday set against MidAmerica Nazarene University by 8-0 and 8-3 final scores.

The Pioneers faced the minimum amount of batters in a five-inning run rule victory in the 8-0 opener as MNU pitcher Mandy Brown pitched five perfect innings of 15-up, 15-down softball while striking out six CU hitters on only 60 pitches.

MidAmerica Nazrene was able to score three runs in the third, a single run in the fourth then close out the game with a pseudo walkoff victory in the fifth with four runs courtesy of a two-RBI double and two-RBI single.

It was another early lead for MNU in game two as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead after four innings with a bases claering double from Lauren Hefel cutting the lead in half at 6-3 in the top of the sixth inning but the Pioneers would answer with a two-run home run to close the scoring out for the day and the 8-3 win.

Clarke softball will close out the road portion of their schedule with a doubleheader against Graceland University on Friday, Apr. 25 in Lamoni, Iowa with a 3:00 p.m. CT scheduled first pitch of game one before finishing off the regular season at home for Senior Day at Veterans Memorial Park against Grand View University on Saturday, Apr. 26.