April 25, 2023 – Six different pitchers and three home runs helped a well-balanced Loras College baseball attack outpace the University of Wisconsin-Platteville 9-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Petrakis Park.

The Duhawks (22-12) caught fire in the middle innings to put some separation between themselves and the Pioneers (10-21), sending them to a victory over Platteville in the first game played in the series since 2016.

Loras started the scoring early in this one as leadoff man Max McCallum singled, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error. The sophomore then scored on an RBI groundout for senior Dakota Church as Loras took the early 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers got one run back in the top of the third inning, but the Duhawks quickly retook the lead with a solo home run for junior Daniel Rogers in the bottom half. After that lone run in the third, Loras added two more in the bottom of the fourth when senior Mitch Gruber and McCallum tallied RBIs via a flyout and a groundout.

Loras stayed on the attack in the fifth inning as Rogers led off the frame with his second solo shot of the game, making it 5-1 in favor of the Duhawks. Rogers' sixth blast of the year set the table for a two-run homer later in the inning for senior Tyler Pransky, as his second long ball of the season pushed the lead to 7-1.

A pinch-hit RBI single for Platteville's Ian Merry made it 7-2 in the top of the sixth, but that turned out to be the end of the line for the Pioneer offense. Freshman Alex Sandoval and junior Nick DiBenedetto tallied RBIs in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead and give DiBenedetto some additional breathing room as he pitched the final two frames to finish off the Duhawk win.

DiBenedetto was last in a line of six Loras pitchers that combined to hold the Pioneers to just seven hits, two runs, and one earned run in the game. Freshman Jake Fenton made his collegiate debut with a hitless fourth inning to put himself in line for the victory.

Loras returns to American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play this weekend, starting with a single game at 6 P.M. at Petrakis Park on Friday, April 28 versus Luther College.