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

Apr. 19, 2022 - Seven days separated the crosstown rivals in the RV Loras College baseball team (24-7, 8-7 A-R-C) and the University of Dubuque Spartans (18-12, 12-8, A-R-C) before the series picked back up at Petrakis Park on Tuesday evening. Senior closing pitcher Ethan Peters tied the career saves record, earning his ninth of the season and 15th in his four years in the purple and gold as the Duhawks earned a 7-6 win in game one of the day before the Spartans came back to claim game two. 

The Duhawks plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning as Luke Fennelly led the inning off with a double into right field before sophomore slugger Daniel Rogers stepped into the batter's box with two outs on the side and Fennelly in scoring position. Rogers brought Fennelly home with a single through the left side of the infield to see the Duhawks jump ahead at 1-0 early. 

In the top half of the second inning, the Spartans responded as Mitch Pomeroy hit a lead-off solo home run over the fence in left field to tie the game at one a side. The Duhawks broke the tie in the bottom of the inning as they rode the momentum from the inning prior as Ryan Wohlers hit a solo shot of his own to deep center field before Joe Egan hit a long ball to the wall in center field, just shy of a home run, settling for a two-out triple. Egan was brought home a batter later as Fennelly poked a single through the right side of the infield to bring hte score to 3-1 after two innings of play. 

The score remained unchanged until the top of the fifth inning as Dubuque plated three runs in the inning on three hits to jump ahead by one a 4-3. The lead didn't last long as Fennelly hit a lead off double to the gap in left center to get the Duhawks going in the bottom of the fifth to bring Dakota Church to the plate. Church moved Fennelly to third on a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher before Fennelly came around to score on a balk call, tying the game at four each. 

The Duhawks jumped back in the lead in the bottom half of the sixth as freshman outfielder Max McCallum started the inning off by wearing a pitch off the elbow. McCallum made his way to third on a bad pickoff attempt that saw the throwing error from the pitcher sail past the first baseman, putting McCallum in dangerous position for Joe Egan. With Runners on the corners as Chris Costantino took a pitch off the body a batter prior, Egan knocked in McCallum on a single through the left side to see the Duhawks take a one-run lead at 5-4. 

Dubuque hit a pair of homers in the top of the seventh inning to jump ahead by one at 6-5 before the Duhawks caught fire once more in the bottom of the same inning. First baseman Max Cullen led the inning off by wearing a pitch before being thrown out advancing to second as Rogers hit into a fielder's choice to bring Dylan Pardoe to the plate. Pardoe hit a single into left field to put two runners on base before McCallum moved runners on a ground out to the pitcher, putting runners on second and third for Wohlers. A single up the middle off the bat of wohlers brought home Pardoe and Rogers to secure the 7-6 victory to take game one of the evening. 

Davis Pasco got the start on the mound for the Duhawks, putting in 5.0 innings of work and striking out five while allowing four runs on seven hits before Julian Lopez made an appearance in relief. Lopez dished 1.2 innings, stirking out one and allowing two runs on two hits before Matt Jeter came in to earn the win, facing a pair of batters and holding the Spartans scoreless. Peters earned his ninth save of the season, throwing 2.0 innings on the mound, striking out two and allowing only one hit while keeping the Spartans in check and writing his name in the history books, tying the career saves record. 

The Duhawks tallied 11 hits in the game, led by Fennelly who went 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI and two doubles, followed by Wohlers who drove in three RBIs on two hits with the Duhawks' one homer of the game. Egan joined Wohlers with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, hitting the team's only triple while driving in one run. 

In game two of the day, the Spartans got off to an early lead, scoring in four of the first five innings of the game to go ahead by seven before the Duhawks put their lone run of the game on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Fennelly continued his solid day at the plate, leading off the inning with a full count single up the middle before coming around to score on a Cullen double that saw him thrown out trying to extend the double in to a triple. 

The Spartans walked away with the victory after plating five runs in the seventh inning to close the game out early with a final score of 12-1. 

Dubuque's solid pitching held the Duhawks to four hits in the game with Fennelly, Church, Cullen and Rogers each posting one while Cullen had the team's only RBI in the game. 

On the mound, the Duhawks turned to Wohlers to start the game where he threw the first 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out three. Erik Edminster came in to throw 2.0 innings, striking out one while allowing four runs on two hits before Curtis Lilienthal made an appearance. Lilienthal dished 1.1 innings, allowing five runs on three hits with a strikeout. Freshman Danny Hiemer closed the game out, facing three batters and allowing a hit. 

The Duhawks are back in action on Friday, Apr. 22 as they travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to take on the Kohawks from Coe College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.