By: Matt Jeter - Athletic Communications Student Assistant

May 10, 2023 - The Loras College baseball team starts its quest in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) baseball tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Duhawks come in with some excitement and confidence as they ended their regular season slate with a walk-off home run by junior Nick DiBenedetto to defeat Coe. 

Entering the tournament, the Duhawks finished the regular season with a record of 25-15 and a conference record of 15-9. Loras earned the No. 3 seed ahead of this weekend's conference tournament as Buena Vista University and Luther College earned the top two seeds, giving them byes in the opening round. Behind Loras is Coe College, the University of Dubuque, and Wartburg College rounding out as the fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds. 

Loras' opening matchup will be against the sixth-seeded Wartburg College Knights. Loras and Wartburg met up in the first weekend of A-R-C play in Waverly, Iowa. The Duhawks won the series, winning two games to one. Loras won game one by a score of 7-3. Day two of the series, with windy conditions, created low-scoring affairs as the Duhawks dropped game two 3-1 before bouncing back and winning game three by a score of 2-1.     

Day one matchups in the A-R-C tournament will be played at Mount Mercy University and Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium, both located in Cedar Rapids. Loras' first round game will have an 11 A.M. first pitch at Mount Mercy University on Thursday, May 11. The Duhawks' next game is TBD based on the result of the first game.