Pride pull out 3-1 win in series opener at William Carey

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Back in the Gulf for a three-game set against William Carey University, the Clarke University baseball team was able to earn a hard fought win in a pitchers' duel by a final score of 3-1 on Friday night.

The Pride scored a single run in each of the final three innings after trailing 1-0 after the third inning as they were able to get a win for Tyson Tucker on his quality start for the senior who went seven innings, allowing the run as an unearned tally, on three hits and three walks while striking out six to move to 2-1.

In the seventh, CU was able to get a run across the plate as Paul Von Zboray led off the inning with a triple, was run for by Cole Swartz as Swartz would later score on a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1. 

Clarke would get their first lead of the game in the following inning as another leadoff extra base hit would put a running scoring position after Maguire Fitzgerald led off with a double but back-to-back strikeouts kept him their with two outs before Victor Lara singled to right to score Fitzgerald and grab a 2-1 lead that would be extended to 3-1 on a solo home run from Brendan O'Connor to lead off the ninth, their third-straight leadoff extra base hit.

Greg Bennett would pitch the final two innings as the Pride were able to slide their normal fourth starter to the pen due to the series being of the three-game variety as Bennett allowed two hits and struck out one in two scoreless frames for his first save of the season.

The Pride and Crusaders will finish off their series on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. CT in Hattiesburg, Miss. for a pair of seven inning affairs.