SEWARD, Neb. – A four-game series split with former GPAC rival Jamestown leads the 20th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team into another four-game cluster of nonconference contests. With the weather warming up around the Midwest, the Bulldogs are on track to play four times in Kansas City, Kan., over Friday and Saturday. The opponents will be William Penn University (Iowa) and Dickinson State University (N.D.). Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad sports an overall record of 5-2 with all seven games having been played in the Oklahoma City area.
This Weekend
--All games played at Homefield Baseball Complex in Kansas City, Kansas.
--Check for statistical updates via Presto Sports and follow @cunebulldogs on X/Twitter throughout the weekend.
Friday, Feb. 28 vs. William Penn (4-4), 12:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 28 vs. Dickinson State (3-7), 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 1 vs. Dickinson State (3-7), 11 a.m.
Saturday, March 1 vs. William Penn (4-4), 4 p.m.
By the numbers
· Three of the four games played (Sunday-Monday) between Concordia and Jamestown were lopsided affairs. The Bulldogs won game two, 10-4, and game three, 11-2, while falling in games one, 11-9, and two, 16-3. Both teams scored exactly 33 runs in action that took place at Piedmont High School (Okla.). Offensively, three Concordia players notched five hits apiece in the series: Jaeden Jordahl (5-for-15), Matt Rhoades (5-for-15) and Ty Nekoliczak (5-for-11 with six walks). In addition, Jaidan Quinn homered twice while Jordahl, Rhoades and Michael Welch left the yard once apiece. One of the team’s two senior catchers, Welch went 4-for-6 with a double, a homer and four RBIs in Piedmont. He also gunned down two runners on the bases. As a team, Concordia batted .281 (34-for-121) with 14 extra-base hits in the series. It also stole 12 bases with four from Nekoliczak and three apiece from Jordahl and Zackery Day.
· In game one versus Jamestown, Nekoliczak reached the 200-career hit plateau, making him the eighth player in program history to reach that total. The others are Jayden Adams (352), Joey Grabanski (309), Jesse Garcia (270), Zak Goodrich (234), Keaton Candor (233), Christian Meza (216) and Jaidan Quinn (207). The Greeley, Neb., native Nekoliczak has been elevated to the leadoff spot in the lineup and has been excellent in the early going. So far in 2025, he is 10-for-22 (.455) at the plate with seven walks and a hit-by-pitch (.581 on-base percentage). Additionally, Nekoliczak is the NAIA’s reigning Gold Glove award winner at second base.
· The top pitching performances of the Jamestown series came from senior Christian Gutierrez and freshman Micah Sweeton. In game two, Gutierrez took the ball and logged eight innings with four runs allowed (three earned) on six hits (no walks) to go along with six strikeouts. Gutierrez earned his 23rd career win – fourth most in program history. The next day, Sweeton made his first college start and went 4.2 innings without giving up an earned run (two unearned runs). He posted four strikeouts and surrendered only two hits to the Jimmies. Maverick Wylder relieved Sweeton and picked up his second win already this season. In the two games the Bulldogs lost, their starting pitchers combined to throw 4.1 innings.
· Quinn entered 2025 with expectations of being one of the top sluggers in the entire NAIA. He was honored as an NAIA First Team All-American in 2024 after he batted .387 with 27 home runs and 75 RBIs to go with a .535 on-base percentage and .880 slugging percentage. The career numbers are off the charts for Quinn, who has belted 75 homers in 180 career games. In program history, he looks up at only Joey Grabanski (88 homers) in that category. Quinn is a three-time First Team All-GPAC selection. The Bonner Springs, Kan., native will be back near his hometown this weekend. So too will pitcher Alex Johnson.
The opponents
William Penn competes as a member of the NAIA’s Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Statesmen own a record of 4-4 this season after finishing 2024 at 24-27 overall. Concordia and William Penn played twice last season with the two sides splitting (3-2 WPU win, 11-2 CUNE win). The Statesmen have displayed power in 2025 having hit 13 homers in eight games (two homers apiece from five players). Carlos Herrera leads the team with a .391 average (9-for-23). On the mount, Joseph Taylor has posted a 2.57 ERA and 11 strikeouts in two starts (14 innings).
Dickinson State resides in the NAIA’s North Star Athletic Association. The Blue Hawks went 13-35 in 2024 and are 3-7 through 10 games in 2025. Concordia and Dickinson State last played each other in March of 2021 (resulting in a four-game sweep for the Bulldogs). Sophomore Jace Buchanan has started hot and is hitting .471 (16-for-34) with two homers and seven RBIs. As a team, Dickinson State is hitting .289 with a .381 on-base percentage. In four appearances on the mound, Rogelio Gonzalez owns a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.
Next week
The team’s spring break trip to Florida will begin the weekend of March 6-8 with a four-game series at perennial NAIA powerhouse Southeastern University, which calls Lakeland, Fla., its home. The Bulldogs will also play in Winter Haven, Fla., on March 9 and 10.