CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 12, 2023) – Loras College softball made its first appearance the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Tournament since 2018 on Saturday afternoon, but the trip was short-lived as Loras fell 6-2 to Wartburg College in the first game of the single-elimination tournament.

The fifth-seeded Duhawks (21-15) got on the board first against the fourth-seeded Knights (21-16) but couldn't hold them down as the third overall meeting between the two teams in 2023 went the way of the Knights, who move on to the tournament's semifinal round on Saturday.

Loras' two-run third inning was an eventful one as sophomore Clare Murphy led off with a walk before getting to third on a sac bunt attempt from Whitney Leipold that produced a throwing error. In the next at bat, senior Abby Jones struck out swinging, but the ball scooted away just far enough to allow Murphy to dive into home with the game's first run.

Two batters later, junior Alyssa Hughes singled home Leipold to make it 2-0, but the Wartburg offense responded in its half with three runs against Loras starter Ashlyn Hemm. Two hits and a pair of walks aided the Knights as they jumped ahead 3-2 on a two-RBI single from Sydney Illg.

The Knights kept it rolling in the next half as three more runs came home on three hits and a Duhawk error that pushed the lead 6-2, which is where it ultimately stayed through the end of the game.

Loras threatened in the top of the seventh as two runners reached safely with one out, but Wartburg's Ashley Nelson shut the door and finished off her 10^th win of the year after outdueling Hemm.

The Duhawks' season came to and end shorter than they would have liked, but they'll end the year with a winning record for the second straight season and have momentum heading into 2024 after qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time in their last four chances.