DUBUQUE, Iowa (April 2, 2023) - The Buena Vista baseball team secured its third straight series win to begin American Rivers Conference play on Sunday by splitting a doubleheader at Loras College, taking the opener, 13-7, before coming up short in a high-scoring 17-14 contest in the finale.

The Duhawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener before Jordan Mathewson launched a solo home run in the second to cut the BVU deficit in half. The Duhawks extended their lead to 5-2 after three innings before the Beavers plated two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. Senior Calvin Harris kept pace in the home run department by launching his third of the year - a two-run blast in the fifth - to give BVU its first lead at 6-5. Loras got one run back in its half of the fifth before RBI singles from Evan Taylor and then Harris in the sixth extend the margin to 9-6. 

An RBI double for the Duhawks in the sixth made it 9-7 before Harris came through with a two-run double in the eighth as the team began to pull away. Jordan Mathewson, who doubled in the fourth and then tripled and scored in the fifth, completed the cycle by driving in a run with a single later in the eighth inning before coming around to score on a passed ball for the game's final score.

Mathewson finished 4-for-6 and scored four times while Harris went 4-for-6, including a pair of extra-base hits, to go along with five RBI and three runs scored. Evan Taylor was 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored.  As a team, the Beavers chalked up 17 hits in the game, including six for extra bases.

Dalton Glenn battled through 5.2 innings to earn the win on the mound. He was charged with all seven runs on 12 hits, while striking out three and walking three. Zach Pleggenkuhle and Zack Beekmann combined to pitch 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out four and walking two.

Joel Garcia led off the nightcap with a solo home run to highlight a four-run top of the first for the Beavers. Caden Mathewson had a two-run double in the frame while Beekmann added an RBI single. The lead, however, was short-lived as the Duhawks took advantage of four walks and a hit batter in the bottom half to score five times on just one hit. They also added five runs in the fourth and four in the seventh. BVU turned in a four-run fifth inning while scoring twice in both the third and seventh innings. The Beavers tried to rally in the ninth, loading the bases with only one out but settled for a sacrifice fly and left two runners stranded.

BVU out-hit Loras 19-13 in the contest, including nine more extra-base hits. Harris added four more hits, including a pair of doubles, drove in one and scored twice. Caden Mathewson also added four hits, including a pair of doubles, to go along with his three RBI.  Joel Garcia and Drew Taylor both went 3-for-6 and combined to score five times.

Mason Gehling made the start and got a no decision after allowing seven runs and just two hits over 1.1 innings. He was plauged by five walks and a pair of hit batters. Brayden Polzein pitched the next 1.2 innings and was charged with five runs. Nolan Faber suffered the loss in relief, allowing four runs and seven hits over 3.2 innings. For the game, Beaver pitchers walked seven batters and struck out only one.

Buena Vista is now 15-5 overall (6-1 A-R-C) and is now set to play its home opener on Tuesday, April 4, by hosting Central College in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.