October 22, 2019 

By Jon Feyen
ScoutU 

Lauren Clausen totaled 26 wins and 283 strikeouts during the last two seasons. When you compile numbers like that, it opens doors to some of the best softball programs in the nation. 

Recently Clausen committed to Trine University, an NCAA Division III school in Indiana. The Thunder are coming off a 37-8 season that included a run to the Final Four. Trine also posted a winning percentage .800 or better every year from 2012-15. 

“I spoke with Trine’s pitching coach, Dennis Smith, at a showcase, and he expressed to me how interested he was in Lauren,” ScoutU Owner/Milwaukee Area Scout Jason Lauren said. “He told me about how Trine has had some of the best pitchers in the country and their team’s recent national success, so I instantly became very excited for Lauren and thought it could be a good fit for her. I’m so proud of her and was glad to be a part of her recruiting journey.” 

Clausen throws her fastball up to 61 mph, and she owns an impressive screwball. During her junior season, she went 15-6 with a 2.77 ERA. Clausen also did damage at the plate with a .294 batting average, three home runs and 35 RBIs. 

“I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity to play softball in college,” Clausen said. “It has always been my goal to play college softball, and it’s exciting to see that my hard work has paid off.” 

Clausen felt comfortable committing to Trine because the campus stood out and the coaching staff was very professional. 

“My first visit to Trine I was very impressed by how friendly the faculty was,” Clausen said. “I had a lot of interest from many other colleges, but Trine appealed to me the most.” 

ScoutU’s Jason Lauren knew that Clausen had what it takes to compete at the next level. 

“Lauren not only is a pitcher with good velocity, but she also locates very well, has good spin, excellent movement and mixes up her pitches,” he said. “Lauren also is a pitcher that you won’t see get rattled. She gets out of jams and doesn’t let a bad inning get to her. That will be a huge asset for her in college.” 

Clausen has other strengths that coaches covet like academics. She boasts a 4.06 weighted GPA, in addition to her 1300 SAT score. Things finally came together once ScoutU alerted colleges to her abilities. 

“With your help between making the website, video, and sending emails, I was able to gain a lot of exposure from many different colleges that I wouldn’t have known about,” Clausen said. “Trine was a school that I didn’t know anything about, but thanks to your contacts, the coaches noticed me and came out to my games.”