Pride earn Opening Day doubleheader split at Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Getting the 2023 season underway with a doubleheader against Oklahoma City University, the Clarke University baseball team was able to bounce back after a game one 11-3 loss and earn a split with a 3-2 win in the day's finale.

The long ball was the theme of the opener as the Stars jumped out to an early lead on a wild pitch but then scored nine of the remaining 10 runs via home run starting with a three-run shot in the third and double digits were reached on a grand slam in the fifth inning as OCU would finish with four total home runs.

CU added their own long ball from shortstop Bubba Thompson, who hit a two-run shot in the seventh to make it the final of 11-3. Thompson finished the game going 2-for-4 with those two RBIs and the run scored from the seventh inning homer.

Pitching was the story in game two as Clarke's Isaac Rohde picked up right where he left off 2022 as the lefty was inserted into the starting rotation and did not disappoint with a complete game as the only runs he gave up were on solo home runs in the third and sixth innings. Rohde struck out a career-high tying 11 batters in 2.2 less innings than he set that previous career-high while allowing five hits and only walking one batter. 

Victor Lara and Johnny Blake drove in a run each as Lara singled home Kieron Crowder in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie at the time then Blake added an insurance run with a solo home run in the sixth for his first of the year.

Clarke and Oklahoma City will finish off their three-game series tomorrow afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. CT scheduled first pitch.