SEWARD, Neb. – A four-game set that was billed as the @NAIAball Big Series of the Week gave way to a parade of Bulldogs circling the bases. The Concordia University Baseball team wasn’t satisfied until it had completely crushed the soul of Midland in each of the four contests. In Sunday (April 3)’s action at Plum Creek Park, Concordia won by scores of 11-5 and 12-2 (run rule) over a Warrior squad that had entered the weekend at 18-5 overall. In a significant individual achievement, Bulldog outfielder Keaton Candor reached 200 career hits.
Over the four-game series, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad outscored Midland by a combined total of 60-15. Concordia moved to 22-7-1 overall and to 11-1 within the GPAC.
“We played well this weekend,” Dupic said. “I know I did – I hope our team had a bad taste in our mouth after last weekend, not finishing as strong as we wanted to. I thought we had a good week of practice leading into this and our guys played really well. We had some really good at bats and put ourselves in good situations throughout the week with how good we were offensively. I’m glad we responded on the mound and did well defensively too.”
Even by the incredible standards the Bulldog bats have set since the beginning of last season, this was absurd. After pounding three grand slams in the second game in Fremont on Saturday, Concordia was similarly explosive on Sunday. It’s difficult to know where to start. Four Bulldogs collected at least three hits on Sunday, including Jay Adams, who went 4-for-6 with four walks, five runs, two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs. Midland really couldn’t keep Adams or Jaidan Quinn from reaching base all weekend.
In Sunday’s first game, Concordia built an 11-2 lead on the strength of a four-run second and six-run fourth. Adams and Quinn both homered and Alec Blakestad contributed two hits and three RBIs. Adams also supplied a two-run double out of the leadoff spot. Collectively, the Bulldogs notched 10 hits and worked nine walks. Peyton Garbers smacked a three-run homer for Midland in the fifth to make the score a bit more respectable.
The Warriors (18-7, 5-7 GPAC) never had a chance in game two, which opened with a five-run first for Concordia. Adams led it off with a solo shot to right, Blakestad forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk and Quinn delivered a two-run single. Then in the second inning, Candor RBI bloop single to center signaled his 200th career hit, putting him in an exclusive club of three in program history. Blakestad followed with a two-run blast in the fourth as part of an onslaught that never relented.
All that production lessened the pressure considerably on the Bulldog pitching staff. In game three of the series, Christian Gutierrez started and went five innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six. Darrell Kundinger then fired two scoreless innings in relief. In the series finale, Caden Johnson fanned eight Warriors over six innings. He surrendered two earned runs on six hits and no walks. Jacob Lycan polished off the series with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh.
It was another series of eye-popping offensive numbers. Over the four games, Quinn went 8-for-12 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs while also walking four times and being hit by three pitches. Throughout the series, seven of the team’s regulars batted better than .400: Quinn (.667), Tanner Tompkins (.625), Blakestad (.571), Joey Grabanski (.538), Ty Nekoliczak (.500), Candor (.500) and Adams (.471).
Said Adams, “I think we made a lot of strides this weekend against Midland. We turned around after having a rough end to the Northwestern series. We started transitioning into winning every inning. That really helped us overcome a lot. Our offense really started to click too.”
Candor’s career hit total is now 201, putting him behind only Zak Goodrich (234) and Christian Meza (216) in program history. Said Dupic, “It’s really abnormal to get that many hits in a career. It’s hard for me to put into words. You see in a lot of sports landmarks that happen. A landmark in college baseball really isn’t 200 because a lot of people don’t ever get there. He’s been an incredible hitter and a great teammate, somebody everyone connects to. He’s a dangerous bat and a great kid. I’m really proud of him.”
After playing 10 of its first 12 GPAC games at home, the Bulldogs will be on the road for four games next weekend with two at Morningside (17-10, 4-8 GPAC) beginning at 1 p.m. CT on April 8 and two at Jamestown (14-17, 3-7 GPAC) starting at 3 p.m. on April 9.