DUBUQUE, Iowa – In a day that saw 50 total runs scored, the Loras College baseball team battled to split its series-opening doubleheader with Central College on Friday night at Petrakis Park.

The day also served as Loras' senior day, as Nick DiBenedetto and Daniel Rogers were honored alongside their families between the two games.

The split places the Duhawks (23-15 overall, 12-10 American Rivers) fourth in the American Rivers Conference standings with one game to go in the regular season. This weekend's series is all that stands between Loras and the start of the 2024 American Rivers Conference Baseball Tournament, which is slated to start on May 9 in Cedar Rapids.
 
Game One: Central 12, Loras 11
The first game of the twin bill saw the Dutch (15-23, 9-14) leap out to an early 1-0 lead. The Purple and Gold would respond in the bottom half of the inning with RBIs from Jackson Cullen and Vince Polizzi to pull in front.

Central added three runs in the second to regain the lead, which remained until the fourth inning. There, Loras found success at the plate with an RBI single from DiBenedetto, followed by a bases-loaded walk by Rogers, sacrifice fly by Cullen, and finished off with another RBI single from Polizzi to put the Duhawks ahead, 6-4. Loras added on in the fifth with an RBI single from Alex Sandoval, increasing the lead to three.

The Dutch brought a run across in the sixth to make it a two run game (7-5), but a bunt by Max McCallum followed by an error by Central's third baseman on a throw to first allowed Polizzi to cross home plate to extend Loras' lead back to three.

The eighth inning is where things started to get rocky for the Duhawks, as Central would go on to score seven runs to take a 12-8 lead.

The Purple and Gold were able to cut into the deficit with a sacrifice fly by McCallum in the eighth to make it a three-run game.

After a scoreless top of the ninth, the Duhawks went back to work and wound up getting offense by DiBenedetto on a sacrifice fly to bring the game within two. A wild pitch would score Jack Carney moments later to bring Loras within one, but a groundout with two outs on the board closed the door on a comeback.
 
Game Two: Loras 21, Central 6
The nightcap was all Loras as the Duhawks scored 21 runs on 22 hits and did not commit an error, while Central recorded just nine hits and committed three errors.

In similar fashion to the first game of the day, Central plated a run in the first inning only for Loras to respond in the bottom half of the inning as Cody Sunny's two-out RBI single to left field evened things up at one-all.

The Duhawks utilized a three-run second inning to go up 4-1, but the Dutch flipped the script and scored five runs of their own in the third to hold a 6-4 advantage.

Carney ignited a three-run third inning for the home team with his RBI double to right field, followed by Sandoval's RBI single to left center. Jake Olszewski finished off the third frame with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Purple and Gold a 7-6 advantage.

TJ Boyd, who came in to relieve Andrew Krause in the third inning, pitched a shutout fourth that included two strikeouts. Loras then went on a tear in the fifth inning, scoring 10 runs to balloon the lead to 17-6.

The fourth inning offensive showcase began with Carney getting walked and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Sandoval scored Carney with a double down the left field line, with Olszewski following suit in the next at-bat with a double to right to score Sandoval.

Central tried to combat the sudden spurt of offense with a pitching change, but that had no effect as Loras saw McCallum pick up an RBI double, followed by an RBI sac fly by DiBenedetto go to up 11-6.

Sunny scored McCallum a few batters later after reaching on a fielder's choice before crossing the plate with Rogers after Carney's two-RBI double. Sandoval collected his second RBI of the inning with a single to left field, followed by an RBI triple by Olszewski, the first triple of his career, to go up ten (16-6).

Another pitching change was in store for the Dutch, which didn't faze Trevor Seagraves as he collected an RBI single right away to close out the offensive barrage.

Loras added four additional runs in the sixth inning before Boyd closed out the game with a 1-2-3 seventh inning, completing the run-rule win.
 
The Duhawks will be back in action tomorrow morning with its regular season finale against Central at 9:30 a.m.