Baseball to honor seniors in final regular-season games on Saturday

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University baseball team closes the regular season with a doubleheader at Hastings on Friday (4:30 p.m.) and before returning home for the final time on Saturday (1 p.m.) when Nebraska Wesleyan visits Seward. Five seniors will be recognized between games.

Saturday’s contests will be streamed live online via the Concordia Sports Network. Jordan Miller will provide the play-by-play.

Path to GPAC tournament
All 11 members remain in contention to land a spot in the eight-team GPAC tournament to be held May 1-3 at Caldwell Park and Drake Field in Mitchell, S.D. The Bulldogs (14-28, 4-12 GPAC) are currently in a three-way tie for ninth and one game back of Nebraska Wesleyan (6-25, 5-11) for eighth place. Teams five through 11 are separated by only 3.0 games. In head-to-head with the teams its tied with, Concordia split with Mount Marty and got swept by Dordt.

Getting back on track
Head coach Jeremy Geidel’s squad has lost 10 of 11 games entering a crucial weekend. After a rough April 19 doubleheader versus Midland, the Bulldogs showed offensive progress in a 13-6 loss at York on Tuesday night. Designated hitter and No. 3 batter Andrew Yerrell enjoyed perhaps the best game of his career, going 4-for-5 with two triples and a double against Panther pitching. That effort pushed Yerrell into the team lead with a .341 batting average while staring all 42 games.

The biggest obstacle throughout this season has been infield defense and bullpen struggles. The Bulldogs need to calm down a defensive unit that has committed 21 errors over the last eight games.

Power surge
Eleven of Concordia’s 12 home runs this season have come from either cleanup hitter Daniel Wilkerson or No. 5 hitter Camaren Gause. With six long balls, Gause ranks third in the GPAC. Wilkerson is tied for fourth with five home runs. The Bulldogs are the only team in the conference that possesses two hitters with five or more homers. Shortstop Josh Mondt has Concordia’s other home run. The team’s 12 blasts are third most in the GPAC.

Team comparisons
*Conference rank in parentheses

Concordia (14-28, 4-12 GPAC)
Head Coach: Jeremy Geidel (17th year)
BA: .285 (7th)
SLG: .382 (6th)
Runs/game: 5.83 (6th)
ERA: 6.50 (11th)
Opponents’ BA: .333 (10th)
K’s: 187 (6th)
Fielding %: .925 (11th)
Leading Hitter: Andrew Yerrell (.342 BA, .452 OBP, .467 SLG, 9 2Bs, 31 RBIs)
Top Pitcher: Jordan Stirtz (3-5, 3.83 ERA, 26 K, 54 IP)

Nebraska Wesleyan (6-25, 5-11 GPAC)
Head Coach: Bill Fagler (8th year)
BA: .247 (11th)
SLG: .300 (11th)
Runs/game: 3.23 (11th)
ERA: 5.94 (7th)
Opponents’ BA: .311 (7th)
K’s: 142 (11th)
Fielding %: .930 (9th)
Leading Hitter: Colby McPike (.343 BA, .422 OBP, 6 2Bs, 9 RBIs)
Top Pitcher: Jordyn Johnson (1-4, 4.62 ERA, 29 K, 39 IP)

2014 SENIOR CLASS

#24 Matt Chambers
Hometown: Lakewood, Wash.
Parents: James and Randi Chambers
Major: psychology
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after graduation: Seek employment.

#14 Erik Ellison
Hometown: Bennington, Neb.
Parents: Stu and Marcia Ellison
Major: Business Communications
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: Get a job in business.

#33 Tim Fosmo
Hometown: Douglas, Wyoming
Parents: Glenn and Joani Fosmo
Major: Organismal Biology
Graduation: May 2014
Plans after Graduation: I plan to return home and pursue a career with either the state Forest Service or the Game and Fish Department.

#27 Camaren Gause
Hometown: Tucson, Ariz.
Parents: Gerald and Barbara Gause
Major: Business Administration
Graduation: December 2014
Plans after Graduation: Apply for job inside Raytheon Missle Company in Tucson.

#36 Jordan Stirtz
Hometown: Gretna, Neb. 
Parents: Craig and Lisa Stirtz
Major: Master’s in education 
Graduation: December of 2013; degree in secondary education (mathematics)
Plans after Graduation: Find a job as a math teacher and complete my master’s degree.