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

May 8, 2022 - A day after locking up the No. 2 seed in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Tournament on Saturday, taking both games of the series-opening doubleheader, the RV Loras College baseball team (31-9, 15-9 A-R-C) wrapped up the regular season against the Simpson College Storm (19-20, 10-14 A-R-C) on Sunday at Petrakis Park. Both sides struck in the first inning but the Storm surged ahead, scoring five runs in the middle of the game to take the game by a narrow 7-6 final score as the Duhawks prepare for postseason action next weekend in Cedar Rapids. 

As was the story in Saturday's second game of the day, the Storm jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first but the Duhawks immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning. Max McCallum drew a walk with an out in the inning before going on to steal second with Max Cullen at the plate, who also walked to put two runners on the path. With two outs on the side, Joe Egan drew the Duhawks' third walk of the inning to load the bases before yesterday's hero Dylan Pardoe roped a single to third base that saw the third baseman muff the throw to first, clearing the bases and putting Pardoe on third to see the Duhawks gain a 3-2 lead. 

The Duhawks continued to pull away in the bottom of the second as Luke Fennelly drew a walk with two outs in the inning to bring McCallum to the plate, who reached first on a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line to put two runners on for Cullen. An RBI single through the left side of the infield brought home Fennelly for the Duhawks' fourth run of the game, gaining a two run lead at 4-2. 

The score remained the same through the third and fourth inning, but the Storm's bats came alive in the top of the fifth as Luke Willis hit a double to left field with two outs in the inning before a trio of two-out RBI singles brought home three runs on four hits in the inning for the Storm, giving them their first lead of the game since the top of the first. 

Two more runs crossed the plate for the Storm in the top of the sixth inning as they pulled away by three at 7-4 but the Duhawks continued to chip away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Fennelly led the inning off with a double into right field. McCallum did his job and moved Fennelly to third on groundout to first to bring in Justin Gutierrez, who came in to pinch hit for Cullen. Gutierrez knocked in Fennelly on an infield groundout to cut the Simpson lead to two at 7-5. 

Sophomore pitcher Nick DiBenedetto kept the Storm in check through the seventh and eighth innings, going three up, three down in each to pave the way for the Duhawks to come back in the bottom of the eighth as Church hit a lead off double into left field before coming around to score on a McCallum infield groundout to bring the score to the final at 7-6 as the comeback fell short. 

The Duhawks had nine hits in the game with only two extra-base hits in the form of doubles off the bats of Fennelly and Church. Cullen led the Duhawks with a solid 2-for-2 outing at the plate with a stolen base and an RBI while seven Duhawks recorded a hit apiece. 

Ryan Wohlers got the start on the mound and dished the first five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts before DiBenedetto came in at relief in the sixth inning. After a tought start to his outing, DiBenedetto came back to quiet the Storm, allowing two runs on only three hits in his four innings on the mound, fanning six. 

Postseason action begins on Thursday, May 12 in Cedar Rapids at the Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Duhawks receive a first-game bye as the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will first take on the winner of the No. 3 Nebraska Wesleyan University and No. 6 Wartburg College game. First pitch of the Duhawks' first game is set for 2:00 PM.