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

DAVENPORT, Fla. (Mar. 11, 2022) - The RV Loras College baseball team's (10-0, 0-0 A-R-C) historic start to the 2022 season continued on Friday night as they continued action in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, squaring off against the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats (0-5, 0-0 GNAC). Sophomore pitcher Nick Dibenedetto was a mere two outs away from a complete game of shutout ball in a solid outing on the mound as the Duhawks' bats helped soar past the Wildcats by an 8-1 margin. 

Loras wasted no time jumping ahead of Johnson & Wales, scoring three in the top half of the first inning as Luke Fennelly led the game off with a walk before being thrown out advancing to second as Dakota Church reached on a fielder's choice. A batter later, Max Cullen lined a single into center field to put two runners on base for Daniel Rogers, who followed Cullen's lead and hit a single to center field of his own to bring home Church from second. With two outs in the inning, right fielder Chris Costantino hit a single into the outfield that brought home Cullen while Ryan Wohlers followed with an RBI single of his own a batter later, bringing Rogers across the plate and putting the Duhawks up 3-0. 

The Duhawks continued to pack on the runs in the top of the second as Fennelly reached on a bunt with one out on the side before stealing second with Cullen at the plate. Cullen wore a pitch to put him on first before both runners stole to put two in scoring position for Rogers. Taking full advantage of the scoring opportunity, Rogers lined a single up the middle of the infield to score Cullen and Fennelly and give the Duhawks a five run advantage early. 

After a scoreless inning for both sides in the fourth, the Duhawks kept the ball rolling with Church showing discipline at the plate with one out and drawing a walk to bring Cullen back to the plate. Cullen drove a single to the outfield to put two runners on base, with both going on to advance into scoring position with two outs on a wild pitch. With two outs and two runners on, Dylan Pardoe drew a walk to load the base for Costantino who drove in another two runs with a right field single to widen the Duhawks' lead to 7-0 at the midway point of the game. 

The score remained unchanged until the top of the seventh inning as Joe Egan led the inning off with a triple to deep center field before coming home on an infield single off the bat of Max McCallum, scoring the Duhawks' final run of the game and gaining an eight run advantage in the closing moments of the game. 

In the ninth inning, with DiBenedetto just two outs away from a complete game shutout, the Wildcats put their only run on the board in the form of a solo home run before head coach Carl Tebon turned to Erik Edminster to close out the game. 

Dibenedetto racked up his third win of the season on the mound, throwing 8.1 innings and ringing up seven batters in the game, allowing only one run on six hits before Edminster closed out the game, facing two batters and allowing a hit. 

Costantino and Rogers led the Duhawks' charge offensively, both going 2-for-4 at the plate and driving in three runs apiece, driving in a combined six of the Duhawks' eight runs in the game. Wohlers and McCallum added an RBI each while Cullen and Wohlers also tallied a pair of hits in the game. 

The Duhawks will have a well-deserved day off on Saturday before picking back up and going head-to-head with SUNY-Plattsburg on Sunday, Mar. 13 in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 AM (ET) with the second game immediately to follow.