STORM LAKE, Iowa (March 20, 2026) - The Buena Vista baseball team hosted the University of Dubuque to begin American Rivers Conference play on Friday night, but the Beavers couldn't get the big hit down the stretch and eventually fell 7-2 in 11 innings.

The Spartans scratched across an early run off of BVU starter Ean McDaniel on an RBI groundout in the second inning. Buena Vista tied things up in the fourth with an RBI single up the middle off the bat of junior Jake Eddie, and that's how things stood until both teams scored once in the seventh. Sophomore Jack Schmaltz tied things up in the home half of the inning when he came on as a pinch hitter and laced a base hit right back up the middle on an 0-2 pitch.

Dubuque threatened in the eighth inning with back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases with one out. Freshman Dan Meis, who came on in relief of start Ean McDaniel to begin the inning, was able to work out of the jam by getting back-to-back strikeouts. 

The Beavers came back in the bottom of the eight and got a pair of walks to put the go-ahead runner at second with only one out. Dubuque got out of the jam by getting sophomore Kaden Struck to fly out to left and then a fielder's choice at second to end the threat. BVU then looked to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth by loading the bases with two outs, but pinch hitter Mason Hoberman would strike out swinging to send the game to extras.

Both teams stranded a pair of runners in the 10th before the Spartans broke through in the 11th with five runs on five hits. The final two runs came across on wild pitches. Buena Vista was then retired in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

McDaniel grinded through seven strong innings, allowing only the two runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking one. Meis worked around four hits and two walks over his two innings of scoreless relief by striking out three. Eddie came on to start the 10th and would suffer the loss after being charged with four runs and three hits over 1.1 innings of work.

Sophomore Connor Duong led the way for BVU at the plate by going 3-for-4, including a triple, and scored one run. Fellow sophomore designated hitter Dylan Johnson went 1-for-3 with a walk and one run scored. BVU finished with six hits overall and stranded nine runners but struck out a season-high 19 times.

Logan Cadenhead was 3-for-5 for Dubuque (4-8, 1-0 A-R-C) which finished with 14 hits and 13 going for singles.

Buena Vista falls to 3-10 overall (0-1 A-R-C) and will look to bounce back and go after a series win on Saturday. The two teams take the field for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.