CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (May 12, 2023) - The Buena Vista University baseball team couldn't quite overcome an early 5-0 deficit against No. 3 seed Loras College on Friday afternoon, as the top-seeded Beavers were dealt a 9-6 defeat for its first loss of the tournament.

The Duhawks started fast, scoring five times on four hits in the top of the first inning off BVU starter Mason Gehling. The Beavers didn't panic and came right back in the bottom half of the inning to cut into that deficit. Calvin Harris made it a 5-2 contest with a 2-run single to left center that scored Jordan Mathewson and Joel Garcia.

Gehling tried to work around a leadoff double in the second by getting a popout and a strikeout, but Loras came through with a 2-out, RBI single that made it a 6-2 contest. After a walk put runners at first and second, Zach Pleggenkuhle was called on out of the bullpen and would get a flyout for the final out. Pleggenkuhle kept the Beavers in the game by working 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits, one walk and struck out two.

A defensive miscue by the Duhawk defense, allowed a run to score for BVU in the bottom of the second before senior Grant Oseka brought the team within 6-5 in the third with a two-run blast over the high wall in left.

The Duhawks got a two-out single in the sixth inning which was followed up by a 2-run home run over the fence in right off reliever Logan Lape-Brinkman, who had entered after the first out of the inning was retired. The Beavers again threatened in the bottom half, loading the bases with only one out, but managed only an RBI groundout from Evan Taylor which made it 8-6. Loras later tacked on an RBI double in the eighth for the game's final run.

Jordan Mathewson sparked the Beaver offense by going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. He is now tied for fourth on the program's single-season hits list and is only two shy of moving into a tie with Neil Marshall for third. Harris also added a double and finished 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI, while Garcia and Drew Taylor also tallied two hits.

Gehling (5-1) suffered his first loss of the year after going just 1.2 innings, allowing six runs (three earned) and six hits while walking three and striking out a pair.

Buena Vista is now 30-8 on the year and will play at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Loras (28-15) advances to the championship game which is set to follow at 12:30 p.m.