PELLA, Iowa – The Duhawks won the series and were getting the help they wanted but couldn't capture the much-needed sweep of Central College, splitting their final two games of the year with a 12-4 victory and 12-6 loss.

Game Two
Unlike game one, game two saw Loras (19-21, 9-15 A-R-C) jump out to an early lead, starting in the top of the first. Cody Sunny would smack a ball into left-center for a single, which was followed by a Jackson Cullen walk, and a Vince Polizzi single, loading the bases for the senior Justin Gutierrez. Gutierrez hit a fly ball to right, which was deep enough to allow Sunny to tag up and score. Next, Max McCallum would hit a sharp groundball to second base, who recorded an out but another run would score.

Then in the second, the Purple and Gold had Trevor Segraves double and Vince McDowell walk, giving Sunny another RBI opportunity, which he didn't miss with a sacrifice fly. The scoring wasn't done yet though in the second, as a pair of walks once again loaded the bases for Gutierrez. This time, it seemed that Central College (17-21, 8-16) would escape the jam, but an error by the third baseman kept the scoring assembly line moving. McCallum hit a single, and another run scored, before the Dutch stopped the bleeding with Loras leading 5-0.

Sophomore pitcher Daniel Giusto ran into some deeper counts later in his outing but made sure the Dutch were at arm's length through his five innings of work, as he struck out four and allowed only three hits and one earned run.

Giusto was relieved by Vincent Costantino in the sixth, and Costantino gave up three earned runs as the ninth inning approached. It seemed initially that the Duhawks were going to route the home team, however, the Dutch had crawled their way back into the contest, with the score 5-4. That was until the offensive onslaught from Loras in the top of the ninth.

John Cornelius shook off an 0-for-8 start to the series at the plate by hitting an RBI single which would score sophomore pinch-runner Jake Zeal. Then, pinch-hitter Aidan Herrick would hit a ground-rule double to right that plated another run. Segraves, Cullen, and McCallum all collected RBI and Cornelius snagged a second base hit on their way to a seven-run frame that ballooned the lead to eight.

Danny Hiemer closed it out once again, and the Purple and Gold were one game away from giving themselves a chance at the postseason.

Game Three
Boy, did the start of game three have all the promise. Two hit-by-pitches and an error loaded the bases for Loras in the first, and once again John Cornelius came through with a big time single into left field, plating two runs. This was followed by a Jake Olszewski single to right, scoring two more, and giving the Duhawks an immediate four run cushion.

But, after the top of the first, the Duhawk offense would fall silent. The Dutch would unleash twelve runs that fell unanswered, and seven of those came in a disastrous fourth inning for the Purple and Gold.

Loras never recovered from the 12-4 hole they fell in, but didn't go down without a fight as Alex Sandoval and Olszewski would score on a Segraves double to right. But unfortunately, it was too little, too late, and with the waning sunlight and no lights in Pella, the game was called after seven, and subsequently, the season was over for the Purple and Gold.

Lots to Be Proud Of
Although the Duhawks fell short of their lofty goals and will miss the A-R-C tournament for the first time since 2017, there was a lot of good that happened in 2025. For starters, Head Coach Carl Tebon eclipsed the insanely impressive 600-win milestone at Loras College. Senior outfielder Max McCallum now holds career records for at bats (670) and runs (165), while finishing third in hits (211), fourth in stolen bases (53), and tied for fifth in RBI (104).

Junior designated hitter Vince Polizzi rounded out a monstrous 2025 campaign, as his eleven home runs are tied for second best in a single season in school history and propels him to fifth all-time for career home runs (15). Polizzi also led the American Rivers Conference in slugging percentage (.742) and finished second in OPS (1.189).

Senior Trevor Segraves finished top five in the American Rivers Conference in batting average (.379), and top ten in slugging percentage, along with OPS. Junior Jackson Cullen rounded out his year top ten in A-R-C batting average (.354) and was joined by sophomore Colin Kissane, who was top ten in slugging percentage (.536). Lastly, for individuals, pitcher Daniel Giusto ended top five in batting average against (.222), and catcher Vince McDowell along with McCallum were perfect in the field, both achieving 1.000 fielding percentages.

As a team, the Purple and Gold reached new heights offensively, as their 33 homers ranked third best in a single season in school history, and the 91 doubles smacked this year is good for third best all-time and puts Loras top twenty nationally in that category for a third consecutive season. The 22-run onslaught against Nebraska Wesleyan on March 22 was also a record setting performance by the Duhawks, ranking third best for runs scored in a single game. And lastly, the Purple and Gold went 11-2 in neutral site contests, one of their best marks of all-time.

On Deck: The offseason rolls around now, and after the summer ends, Loras baseball will be right back to it in their short fall season that begins in September and ends in October.