Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

Mar. 26, 2021 - Riding high on a four-game series sweep over the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, the Loras College baseball team (7-4, 4-2 A-R-C) welcomed the Buena Vista University Beavers (7-4, 5-1 A-R-C) to Petrakis Park for their home opening series. The Duhawks made a heavy push in the seventh inning of the second ball game of the night, scoring seven straight runs led by Luke Fennelly who hit a lead-off shot over the outfield wall to start the rally. This past week, Fennelly was named Baseball Position Player of the Week and Male Athlete of the Week by the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C). 

The first game of Friday's doubleheader saw the Beavers strike first in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly out to center field from pitcher Tyler Tennyson that scored a runner from third. Two more runs crossed the plate for Buena Vista in the top of the second inning on an RBI fielder's choice and an RBI single to center field. Buena Vista added one more in the third on a sacrifice fly out to left field that scored Tennyson from third. Two more runs were added to the Beavers' total in the fourth inning on an infield RBI single from Tennyson and an RBI double to center field that scored the runner from third to give Buena Vista a 6-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth. 

Loras responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with a lead-off double from Fennelly that brought Max Cullen to the plate. Cullen drilled a double to right center field that brought Fennelly around the bases to score and cut the deficit to five runs but the score remained unchanged through the last three innings, seeing the Beavers take game one with a 6-1 final score.

Erik Edminster made the start on the mound for the Duhawks, throwing 4.0 innings with one strikeout and six runs on 11 hits before turning to Julian Lopez who closed out the game with one strikeout, allowing only four hits in 3.0 innings pitched. 

Fennelly and Cullen led the Duhawks offensively, each posting doubles in the game. Cullen went 1-3 on the day with one RBI while Fennelly also went 1-3 and scored one run for the Duhawks on Cullen's RBI double. 

After a scoreless first inning from both sides in the second game of the evening, Buena Vista put runs on early in the second inning taking a seven run lead after two innings of play. 

Loras began chipping away at the Beavers' lead in the bottom of the third inning after catcher Dakota Church hit a double to right field to put a runner in scoring position for Fennelly. After being hit by a pitch, Fennelly took first for Cullen to take the plate where he hit a two-RBI double, clearing the bases and bringing the score to 7-2 after three. 

The fourth inning saw both sides go three up, three down before the Beavers' put four more runs on the board and forced head coach Carl Tebon to turn to the bullpen for relief in Owen Funke. 

After adding another run in the top of the sixth inning on a wild pitch, the Duhawks put three on the board with Cullen getting things going for Loras with a lead off single to the gap in right center field. Dylan Pardoe followed by hitting a single to the shortstop that advanced Cullen to second. With one out in the inning, Bill Luzzo hit a single to right field to load the bases. After Ryan Wohlers struck out, Nick DiBenedetto reached base after being hit by a pitch and scoring Cullen from third. With the bases still loaded and two outs on the side, Joe Egan drove a single up the middle that scored Luzzo and Pardoe to bring the score to 12-5 after six innings of play. 

Buena Vista put on three more runs in the top half of the seventh inning but it only sparked the fire in the Duhawks' offense as they went on to drive in seven runs in the bottom of the seventh with Fennelly putting the first run of the inning on the board with a lead-off solo homerun to bring Cullen to the plate. Cullen went on to be hit by a pitch that saw Pardoe step into the box and draw a walk to put two runners on the path for Daniel Rogers, who advanced the runners to second and third on a grounder to the first baseman. With two outs and runners on second and third, Wohlers heated up the Duhawks bats even more with a two-RBI single to right field that scored Pardoe and Cullen before Buena Vista made a pitching change. With a new pitcher in the game, DiBenedetto smacked a hard-hit grounder to the third baseman who fumbled the throw to see Wohlers score and DiBenedetto reach second with Egan due up at the plate. Egan drew a walk to bring up Church who followed suit and also drew a walk to load the bases and bring the Duhawks back to the top of the batting order. In his second at-bat of the inning, Fennelly was hit by a pitch to bring Cullen to the plate, who was also hit by a pitch, each one scoring a run. Buena Vista made another pitching change in the inning with Pardoe at the plate, who went on to draw the fourth-straight walk of the inning and score Church from third and cut the Beavers' lead to just three at 15-12. 

After another three up, three down innning from both sides in the eighth, Loras was able to hold the score at 15-12 to go into the bottom of the ninth inning looking for a walk-off win in their home opener but the Beavers held on to the lead to take both games.

Davis Pasco made the start on the mound in game two for the Duhawks, allowing 11 runs on ten hits in 4.0 innings pitched, posting four strikeouts before turning to Funke who pitched 2.0 innings with two strikeouts and one run on one hit. Hunter Fallon made an appearance for Loras, throwing in 2.0 innings and allowing three runs on five hits before Ethan Peters closed out the game, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning. 

Church and Cullen each recorded a double apiece at the plate while Fennelly notched the only homerun for the Duhawks. Fennelly excelled offensively going 3-4 with two RBIs while Cullen went 2-3 with three RBIs. Egan, Fennelly, Cullen, Wohlers and DiBenedetto each had two or more RBIs for the Duhawks while Pardoe drove in one of his own. 

The Duhawks are slated to face the Beavers on Sunday, Mar. 28 in their second doubleheader of the weekend, closing out the season series at 2:00 PM at Petrakis Park.