DUBUQUE, Iowa - The Ashford University softball team dropped two away games to Clarke College last night, extending their slide to 14 games and falling to 7-21 overall record with a 2-12 standing in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

With each game ending with a 2-0 score in favor of the Crusaders (12-16, 6-8 MCC), the Saints' bats were cooled off by the pitching of Nicky Newhoff in game one, Caitlin Woods in the finale and were limited to only six hits on the day.

Sophomore Jessica Martin of Arlington Heights, Ill., doubled in the top of the first inning of game one for the Saints, but was stranded on the base when the inning concluded.

Nicole Woodard of Carbon Cliff, Ill., pitched her way out of an early jam in the Crusaders half of the first inning after Katie Phillip and Amanda Balough bunted for singles. Anneliese Lange singled to load the bases for Clarke, but Woodard struck out Laura Zelinskas to end the threat.

Clarke got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Balough doubled after advanced to third on an error. A sacrifice fly would later score Balough to put Clarke out front 1-0.

Sophomore sisters Janelle and Nicole Schroeder of Wheeling, Ill., each got on base in the top of the fourth, but Ashford was unable to bring home a run.

With the score still sitting at 1-0, Clarke added another run in the bottom of the sixth Newhoff doubled and would score on a Dole RBI single.

Newhoff threw a complete game for the Crusaders, striking out seven Saints batters and only allowed four hits to earn the victory.

The Saints would only pick up two hits in the game two, as Clarke pitching once again quieted their opponents.

After the first three innings saw virtually no base runners, Clarke scored the only two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Colleen Dansart tripled to lead off the inning and scored after the next batter, Lange, recorded an RBI single to put Clarke up 1-0. Zelinskas would add an RBI double to score Lange and the Crusaders were up 2-0.

Woodard left off the sixth inning with the first hit of the second game for the Saints, but was unable to come home.

The Saints left two batters on base in the seventh inning, as Clarke prevailed to complete the sweep, 2-0.