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

May 13, 2021 - The Loras College baseball team (22-16, 17-15 A-R-C) closed out their regular season in the final game of a four-game series against the University of Dubuque Spartans (17-22, 15-17 A-R-C) on Thursday afternoon. Despite a ninth inning bases loaded rally attempt by the Duhawks, the Spartans held on to take the game 4-1. 

After two scoreless innings for both sides, Dubuque crossed two runs in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI sacrifice bunt and an unearned run on an infield error. 

The Duhawks responded two innings later in the top of the fifth after Dakota Church got things going with a one out double to the gap in left center field. With clutch batter Luke Fennelly at the plate, Church advanced to third on a wild pitch and later went on to score after Fennelly found a gap in the outfield to register a double of his own. 

Dubuque tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning but the Duhawks made a final push in the top of the ninth inning after three walks loaded the bases but the Spartans held on for a 4-1 victory. 

Church had a productive outing at the plate in the lead-off spot, posting three hits on the day with all three hits being doubles. Fennelly notched two hits of his own with a double and an RBI on the day while first baseman Max Cullen added one hit. 

Matt Jeter got the start on the mound and threw 5.1 innings before junior utility player Ryan Wohlers got the call in relief. Wohlers threw the final 2.2 innings of the game, walking two and striking out three of the eight batters he faced. 

The Duhawks are poised to enter the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Tournament as the No. 3 seed with a 17-15 A-R-C record. The Tournament kicks off on Tuesday, May 18 in Waverly, Iowa with a play-in game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeded teams.