The Buena Vista baseball team closed out its final road series of the regular season on Monday afternoon by winning 7-1 in the nightcap to earn the doubleheader split and secure a spot in next week's Iowa Conference Tournament.

Similar to Sunday's series opener, game one on Monday was another pitcher's duel with neither team scoring until the Duhawks got a bases loaded walk in the fifth to take a 1-0 lead.  That's how things stood until junior Neil Marshall connected on a solo home run in the seventh to square things at 1-1 and force extra innings.

After BVU was retired in order in the eighth, Loras was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom half, and after a single and passed ball, loaded the bases on an intentional walk.  All that setup the game-winning sacrifice fly to win 2-1

Marshall also doubled in the game and went 2-for-3 as BVU totaled just four hits overall.

Wes Onken was equally as effective on the mound, as the Duhawks were held to only five base knocks.  He scattered four of those over 6.2 innings, while walking two and striking out five.  Kendall Hazel suffered the loss, allowing the final run and hit while also striking out one.

The bats came to life late in game two for Buena Vista, as the team scored three teams over the final two innings.  The Beavers grabbed an early 1-0 first-inning lead on a sacrifice fly from Kolby Hilgenberg.

Two innings later the lead grew to 3-0 after RBI doubles from Eric Gurbacki and Hilgenberg, respectively.

Loras got on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI single, but it was all BVU from there.  Bryce Wessels hit the team's second home run of the day to make it 4-1.  The Beavers then took advantage of a poor throw in the sixth to make it 5-1.  Another error made it 6-1 in the seventh before Tanner Truesdell tripled home the game's final run later in the frame.

Gurbacki and Bryce Wessels each finished with two hits, as six of the team's 10 hits went for extra bases.  Bennett Mann and Devon Harms also doubled for BVU with Thomas Wisecup stealing the lone base.

Jacob Hadaway improved to 4-1 on the year after allowing just the one run on four hits over 6.0 innings.  He walked two and struck out five, while throwing 65 of 96 pitches for strikes.

Jake Lewis pitched the final inning and worked around a hit and walk.

Buena Vista is now 22-13 overall (12-12 IIAC).  The team will wrap up the regular season this upcoming weekend by hosting Luther College (18-18, 13-11 IIAC).  Game one on Friday is set for 3:30pm.