The Beginning of Spring Kicks Off Softball and Baseball Seasons for the Pride

The beginning of the spring semester not only means the transition to warmer temperatures, but also being able to enjoy said weather with the start of the Baseball and Softball seasons. Both teams officially kicked off their 2026 season on the first weekend of February. Softball started the weekend in Davenport, Iowa winning their season opener against Briar Cliff, falling short to St. Ambrose. Then they split a two-game series against College of St. Mary. Similarly, baseball traveled to Des Moines and split their four-game series against Judson, winning two games 20-5 and 5-2 on Friday and Saturday.

Baseball and Softball in Action // Clarke Athletics Department

The softball team started their season off on the right foot with a 2-1 win over Briar Cliff on Saturday, February 7th in Davenport, and a 12-1 win over College of St. Mary on Sunday, February 8th. The ladies are battling this season with their head coach of 8 years, Garland Shirley, by their side aiming for a more successful season. Also returning from the coaching staff this season is Assistant Coach Claire Peachey, and new addition Alicia Casas as Graduate Assistant. The team welcomes seven new freshmen and three transfers. With the new additions and returning players, the team hopes to achieve a winning season and make an appearance at the conference tournament.

Last season, the team finished 23-23 overall leaving players with motivation to come back stronger and push past that .500 record. The team is upperclassmen-dominant with twelve seniors and thirteen juniors out of a 36-woman roster. Senior shortstop, Harlee Makue-Vasconcellos, feels the team is even stronger this season and can continue to build together. Having only lost two players from last year, she says, “Our culture this year still stands strong; all the new players are truly bought into the program, and we are going to be the best team Clarke Softball has ever seen.” As she reflects on her last season with the Pride, she says, “As a senior and captain, this last season means more than just being phenomenal this year but also setting a good foundation for many more years to come.” She is looking to lead her team into a winning season and is excited to show everyone the hard work that they have put in during the offseason.

These upperclassmen have served as leaders for the team, helping welcome new faces and nurturing returning underclassmen. Sophomore returner and right fielder, Lauren Hefel, says that “The senior and junior classes have played a key role in shaping our culture and have contributed greatly to the chemistry our team has built, creating an environment that is competitive yet light in the sense that we are having fun.” The team has a great culmination of both new and existing talent and plans on coming together to dominate their conference this season with the end goal of making a statement in this year’s conference tournament.

The team’s home opener will take place on Friday, March 13^th, at 1 p.m. against MidAmerica Nazarene at Veterans Memorial Park after competing in an 8-game tournament in Florida over spring break.

The baseball team had a delayed start to their season with the cancellation of their original season opener against Sterling on January 30^th due to snowy weather conditions in Oklahoma City. The team eventually played their first game the following weekend in Des Moines, falling short to Judson 7-6, but bouncing back in the next game the same day, winning 20-5. The team welcomes back their head coach, Brian McCabe, for his third year with the Pride, as well as Assistant Coach Anthony Razo, for his seventh year. Returning to the team, taking on a new role as Graduate Assistant is class of 2025, Jalen Avery, and class of 2018 alum, Anthony Ruden, as Assistant Coach. On a team of 42 rostered players, the team welcomes four freshmen and a handful of transfers.

With this group of promising players, Coach McCabe has the goal of winning the Heart of America North Division, earning a top seed in the conference tournament, and earning a bid into the NAIA regionals. When asked about what he’s excited about heading into the 2026 season and how it compares to previous ones, McCabe says, “Our lineup is deep, and our athleticism has continued to increase year by year. This team feels a lot more connected and ready to battle with each other. There is nothing like the grind of a 50-game season in the spring. This is a great collection of people, and I’m really excited to lead them this season.” After having an overall record of 24-28 last season, McCabe is ready to guide his team with clear goals and motivation to make their season run successfully into May.  

Like softball, baseball is also upperclassmen-heavy, with a total of fifteen rostered seniors leading the program. Senior Catcher, Diego Guevara, shares his teammates’ goal of ending the season walking away with a championship, but there’s more to it. He says, “For me, it’s more about the standard we set every day. I want us to be known as the grittiest team in the league—the group that plays with so much passion and discipline that other teams feel the pressure the moment we step off the bus.” He agrees with Coach McCabe in the sense that he also feels the team’s connection to be much stronger this year, saying they feel like a family and there’s a special kind of energy among the team. As he enters his final season with the Pride, he reflects on his journey as a baseball player and being with the program all four years, saying, “This year isn’t about my personal stats, it’s about leaving a legacy and playing with a level of pride that honors where I come from. I want to finish this chapter knowing I gave everything I had to this team." He is going into his last season, giving it his all for his teammates, leaving it all on the diamond.  

This season holds a lot of weight for the senior class, whether they have been here all four years like Diego, or if they transferred like pitcher, David Jacobo, who joined the team last year. As he gears up for his second season with the Pride, he talks about how the team has “a lot more young talent, which brings new energy to the team.” In his final season as a collegiate athlete, he says, “it is truly an honor and a privilege” to play with this group of guys and is excited to compete for a strong record and make it to the finals. Together, the baseball team will continue their season, battling together to achieve a winning season that many will remember.

Clarke Baseball will have their home opener on March 21^st at 1 p.m., where they will take on Graceland at A.J. Spiegel Park in Peosta.