Offense held in check in Pride softball's Saturday dome games

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Returning back to where they started the 2026 season a week ago, the Clarke University softball team was unable to pick up a win in two games on Saturday at the St. Ambrose Dome in a 7-0 morning loss to Saint Xavier University before falling 5-1 against Midland University in the afternoon.

Combining between the two games to record only seven hits, a pair of Pride hitters had two-hit games in each contest as senior shortstop Harlee Makue-Vasconcellos went 2-for-3 against the Cougars in their first game before junior catcher Taryn Hoffman went 2-for-2 against the Warriors with Teal Transburg driving in the lone run of the day with a fifth inning RBI single against Midland to make it 4-1 at the time.

Lauren Hefel was able to reach base twice in the opener against SXU, walking in her first plate appearance in the top of the first before singling in the fourth as the only other baserunner to reach beside Makue-Vasconcellos against Saint Xavier as she also walked against Midland along with Makue-Vasconcellos and Kennedi LeDuff also drawing a free pass and Kaylie Holtam adding a hit to her day.

Of the four pitchers to step into the circle for CU on the day, Ellie Flanagan had the most success in her two innings against Midland as she produced two scoreless innings of work, allowing just two hits and striking out one in relief of Emma Slayback who struck out six hitters over five innings where she allowed four earned runs.

For their fourth-straight gameday to start 2026, Pride softball will be back in Davenport, Iowa to play in the Ambrose Dome in some more repeat matchup, facing Saint Xavier again in their first game at 3:15 p.m. CT before closing out the weekend exactly how they did last Sunday with a 5:30 p.m. CT scheduled first pitch against host St. Ambrose University.