SEWARD, Neb. – Head Coach Ryan Dupic expects to learn a lot about his 2023 Concordia University Baseball team already this month of February. The 21st-ranked Bulldogs will open another highly anticipated season by taking on two fellow nationally ranked foes this weekend in Oklahoma City, Okla.: No. 11 Oklahoma City University and No. 5 Bellevue University. Concordia is coming off a ’22 campaign that saw it post 40 wins, capture the GPAC tournament championship and come within one victory of returning to the NAIA World Series.
This Week
Saturday, Feb. 11 at No. 11 Oklahoma City (2-4), 10 a.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Jim Wade Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Saturday, Feb. 11 vs. No. 5 Bellevue (0-0), 1:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Jim Wade Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Sunday, Feb. 12 at No. 11 Oklahoma City (2-4), 1:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Jim Wade Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
A detailed 2023 Concordia Baseball season preview can be found HERE. Notably, the Bulldogs welcome back 11 of the 12 players who were recognized with some form of all-conference recognition in 2022. That group includes first team selections in second baseman Jay Adams, outfielder Joey Grabanski, third baseman Jaidan Quinn and pitchers Alex Johnson and Caden Johnson. Concordia figures to trot out another powerful lineup after the ’22 squad reset school single season standards for runs scored (516) and home runs (113). Only two teams in the entire NAIA hit more home runs last season than the mighty Bulldogs. As for the pitching staff, it returns the top four starters from last season and welcomes an influx of talented transfers.
Oklahoma City went 49-6 last season and was a national tournament qualifier. The Stars have started this season at 2-4 while getting swept in a three-game series by LSU Alexandria before taking two of three from Clarke University (Iowa). As for Bellevue, the Bruins will be kicking off their season this weekend. Bellevue went 49-13 in 2022 and reached the NAIA World Series after defeating Concordia in the winner-take-all game of the Bellevue Bracket. This will mark the third season in a row that the Bulldogs and Bruins have played one another. Concordia got past Bellevue to reach the World Series in 2021.
Recent updates have been made to the Bulldogs’ 2023 schedule. Nearly all games during the spring break trip are now locked into place. In next week’s action, Concordia will be headed to Joplin, Mo., for four games over two days (Feb. 18-19) against nonconference opponents.