Clutch sixth innings propel Pride to win series over Grand View
PEOSTA, Iowa - After a series-opening split on Saturday at A.J. Spiegel Park, the Clarke University baseball team was able to secure a 3-1 series win with a pair of one-run victories on Sunday afternoon over Grand View University by scores of 11-10 and 8-7.
Both offenses got off to hot starts with the Vikings scoring twice in the top of the first, only for Clarke to answer with four of their own in the bottom half of the inning behind three-straight base runners, a run-scoring double play, then RBI doubles from Ethan Hefel and Cole Swartz to produce a 4-2 lead after an inning of play.
The Pride were able to slowly grow their lead with a Brady Lord sacrifice fly in the second then a big five-run fourth inning that included a Bryn Vantiger sac fly a bases loaded walk from Swartz and Omari Barksdale clearing those loaded bases with a double to make the score 10-2.
Similar to the CU lead being extended, Grand View was able to start their comeback with a single run in the top of the fifth inning then really got themselves back into contention with a seven-run top of the sixth capped off by a two-run home run to center field by Colin Driscoll, making it 10-10.
In their half of the sixth, Clarke recorded a pair of quick outs with their first two batters as head coach Brian McCabe pushed the pinch hitter button, calling upon Jordan Breen to hit off the bench as the Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada native took a 1-1 pitch and sent it deep to left field for his first home run as a member of the Pride and giving the home team an 11-10 lead.
Fitting to the theme of not only the game, but the day and the series, the Vikings wouldn't go down without a fight as they loaded the bases with one out against Alex Cashman as the junior was able to get a big strikeout after falling behind in the count 3-0 then got the next hitter to fly out to center field for the final out, clinching at least a series split for CU.
Game four had a similar back-and-forth nature that saw the Pride take the first lead on a Darin Eales RBI single in the bottom of the first before the two teams traded a pair of runs in the second inning with Clarke's runs coming on back-to-back home runs from the eight and nine spots in the order first a Barksdale solo shot to right then a Hunter Flores solo homer to right center.
Those two were able to break a fourth inning 3-3 tie when Barksdale doubled home Swartz on a ball to deep center and Flores drove in Barksdale with a ground ball single to left, making it 5-3 after Angel Alfaro was able to get out of a second and third, no out jam in the top of the inning by getting a strikeout, executing a tag out on an attempted squeeze play, and getting another strikeout to end the inning and give Clarke a little momentum for the time being.
Cashman was looked upon for his second relief outing of the day, but was unable to produce another scoreless outing as the Vikings retook the lead with a three-run home run to right field by Jaden Drill to put the score at 6-5 in the top of the fifth inning.
Once again, the Pride used the bottom of the sixth to provide the late offense they needed, this time trailing by a run as they got the first two runners on base with a leadoff walk to Swartz before Barksdale was hit by a pitch after squaring to bunt Swartz to second.
Flores would get a similar assignment to sacrifice the runners over to second and third as he was able to get a bunt down towards the pitcher, but the throw to first was off target and got by the first baseman enough to allow Swartz to scamper home from third and tie the game at 6-6.
As the inning continued, Clarke loaded the bases with one out as Grand View was able to get a strikeout before Vantiger stepped into the box and took the first pitch and sent it into right field for a two-RBI single, giving the home team an 8-6 lead heading to the top of the seventh.
Heading into his second inning of work after pitching a scoreless sixth inning, freshman Tommy Rimoldi was tasked to close out a game four win to clinch a series win as he was able to utilize the most of the extra run scored on the Vantiger single to pitch around two hits and a walk while allowing just one run to get the final three outs for his first collegiate pitching victory.
Barksdale finished the two games on Sunday with four hits, five RBIs, and two runs scored, Flores had the two-hit, three-RBI game four, getting his first start at third base in Heart play this season, with Eli Kelley and Hefel finishing game three with three and two hits respectively.
Clarke baseball is hoping to make up an earlier scheduled non-conference game against Saint Xavier University with a neutral site matchup scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 31 in Rockford, Ill. for a 4:00 p.m. CT scheduled first pitch, but weather forecasts don't look favorable so keep an eye on Pride baseball social media accounts for updates on Tuesday's game.