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

DUBUQUE, Iowa (May 11, 2021) - In their fifth game in the span of one week, the Loras College baseball team (21-14, 16-13 A-R-C) traveled down the road to the University of Dubuque to open a four-day stretch of games against the Spartans (15-21, 13-16 A-R-C). A single game kicked off the series between the two American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) rivals, seeing the first game go to the Spartans.

Dubuque put up eight runs quick in the first two innings of the game before the Duhawks responded in the top of the third inning. After a seven-run second inning for the Spartans, the Duhawks climbed back after Ryan Wohlers reached base with one out after being hit by a pitch. A batter later, Alex Kelsch reached by drawing a walk to bring Dakota Church to the plate, who flied out for the second out of the inning. Luke Fennelly stepped into the box with two outs and two runners on and loaded the bases after also being hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, Max Cullen hit a hard ball to third base to score Wohlers for the first run of the inning. A batter later, Dylan Pardoe walked in a run for his first RBI of the game to cut the Spartans lead to six. Daniel Rogers recorded the fifth walk of the inning to score Fennelly from third to bring the score to 8-3 after three innings. 

The Spartans tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth but the Duhawks kept fighting, scoring another run of their own in the top of the seventh inning. After a pair of singles from Church and Fennelly led off the inning, Cullen loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch to load the bases for Pardoe. Church went on to score as Pardoe hit into a double play to record the fourth run of the game for Loras. 

In the final inning of the game, the Duhawks made one last push with Kelsch leading off by taking a pitch off the body. Church followed by smacking a single through the right side of the infield to put two runners on for Cullen. With one out in the inning, Cullen reached on an infield error to load the bases. A wild pitch advanced the runners and scored Kelsch from third to bring the score to the game's final 9-5 in favor of the Spartans. 

Marshall Rice got the start on the mound and threw 2.0 innings before head coach Carl Tebon turned to Erik Edminster in the bullpen. Edminster dished a solid 6.0 innings, striking out five and allowing only one run on eight hits. 

Church, Cullen and Rogers led the bats for the Duhawks, each notching two hits apiece. Cullen, Pardoe and Rogers tabbed an RBI in the game with Kelsch scoring two of the five runs for the Duhawks. 

The Duhawks are set to take on the Spartans in an A-R-C doubleheader on Wednesday, May 12 at Dan W. Runkle Field on the campus of the University of Dubuque. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.