KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The 20th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team put all phases of the game together on Saturday (March 1) while mopping the floor with the likes of Dickinson State University (N.D.) and William Penn University (Iowa). In games played at Homefield Baseball Complex in Kansas City, Kan., the Bulldogs won both games by identical 14-0 scores. Starting pitchers Micah Sweeton and Braxton Greenburg shined and six different Concordia players homered on the day.
Dupic’s squad went 3-1 on the weekend road trip in KC and now stands at 8-3 overall. Dupic had a difficult time finding anything to nitpick following Saturday’s sweep.
“I thought everybody did a good job today,” Dupic said. “Obviously when you score 28 runs in two games, the guys’ at-bats were really good. We put some pressure on them, got some people on base and hit some home runs at the right time. We did that the first game and did that the second game. I was most proud of the way we prevented runs. That’s a key for us this season. We didn’t have any errors today and didn’t give up any stolen bases. We were just so much cleaner – turned multiple double plays. It was really well-done by our guys.”
The pitching staff allowed just a single run over the final three games of the road trip. The freshman Sweeton (Temecula, Calif.) and the senior Greenburg (Plymouth, Minn.) both worked six shutout frames on Saturday. Sweeton allowed just two hits and a walk while piling up 11 strikeouts in a masterful performance. In the day’s second game, Greenburg scattered four hits and three walks while fanning four batters. Relievers Cameron Pickens, Seth Claybourne and DJ Andersen made appearances while helping polish off the two shutouts.
In the whitewashing of Dickinson State, the Concordia offense paraded around the bases with 14 hits and nine walks. Ty Nekolizak (2-for-4), Brad Hallock (4-for-5) and Bronx Lewis (five RBIs) each left the yard in the victory. Lewis belted a grand slam in the third to push the lead to 5-0 at the time. Hallock picked up three RBIs on his four knocks. Meanwhile, catcher Michael Welch stayed hot by going 3-for-3 with a walk. Shortstop Jimmy Blumberg also drove in two runs.
In game two on Saturday, a homer apiece was pummeled by Jaidan Quinn, Matt Rhoades and Tanner Tompkins. The blast for Quinn marked his fourth of the season and 76th for his career. Quinn also doubled in a two-hit performance. Rhoades wound up with three hits on the day.
Dickinson State dropped to 3-11 while William Penn stands at 7-5. The Statesmen also defeated the Blue Hawks twice in Kansas City.
The next time the Bulldogs trot out to play, they will do so in The Sunshine State as part of spring break. To open the slate in Florida, Concordia will take on perennial NAIA powerhouse Southeastern University (16-0) in Lakeland. The four-game series will unfold March 6-8.