SEWARD, Neb. – Following a run of 10 games in eight days over spring break, the Concordia University Baseball team will catch a breather before opening conference play this weekend. The reigning GPAC champs will host doubleheaders with conference foes Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday and Hastings on Sunday. Barring any schedule changes, the Bulldogs will play exclusively against GPAC opponents for the remainder of the regular season. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad enters the week with an overall record of 11-6-1.
This Week
Saturday, March 19 vs. Dakota Wesleyan (5-4), 2 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast/Stats
Sunday, March 20 vs. Hastings (3-13), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast/Stats
By the numbers
· Concordia went 6-4 during its stay in central Florida and showed that it remains a potent offensive bunch. The 2021 NAIA World Series qualifying Bulldogs broke the program single season standard by crushing 90 home runs. The 2022 squad can now claim the school record for most homers in a single game after it went deep eight times in the 15-2 win over Lawrence Technological University (Mich.) on March 10. That same day, the Bulldogs also hammered six home runs in the 10-5 victory over Calumet College of St. Joseph (Mo.). Three Concordia players notched multiple home runs that day: Jaidan Quinn (four), Jay Adams (three) and Keaton Candor (two).
· Over the 10 games in Florida, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents by a combined total of 87-51 and belted 24 home runs. As part of the trip, Joey Grabanski shined in hitting .441 (15-for-34) with a double, five home runs, 11 RBIs and a .912 slugging percentage. Several other lineup regulars batted better than .300 in Florida, including Tanner Tompkins (12-for-24), Alec Blakestad (13-for-32), Jesse Garcia (9-for-23), Jay Adams (10-for-30), Jakob Faulk (6-for-19) and Keaton Candor (10-for-32). Quinn also posted five home runs on the road trip while Adams collected four.
· Candor and Garcia are the only players in program history to reach 30 home runs for a career. A native of Merrill, Iowa, Candor is the current leader with 33 home runs while Garcia has hit 30 exactly. In just his second collegiate season, Grabanski is hot on the trail after having produced a school single season record of 17 home runs in 2021. With six big flies this season, the Grand Forks, N.D., native has moved his career homer total to 23. Another powerful bat, Faulk has 17 career homers to his credit. With five home runs already this season, Adams has equaled a career high in that category.
· In terms of volume of innings, Caden Bugarske has been Concordia’s must trusted pitcher this season. The Boerne, Texas, native fired seven-inning complete games in both of his outings in Florida while earning two wins. Bugarske did not surrender a single earned run in an 86-pitch complete game victory versus Cornerstone University (Mich.). On the season, Bugarske is 3-1 with a 4.38 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.2 innings. Bugarske has made five starts while Alex Johnson has made four. Johnson boasts a 1.26 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.
· The Bulldogs actually lost a game in which they threw a no-hitter. In a 2-1 loss to Indiana University South Bend, Dan Rivera (4.0 IP) and Cale Mathison (3.0 IP) combined on the sixth recorded no-hitter in program history. Both Rivera and Mathison add length to a staff that continues to miss bats (158 strikeouts in 127.2 innings). Shane Whittaker has been dominant in his six relief appearances, sporting a 1.23 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 7.1 innings. Whittaker and Jacob Lycan lead the team in pitching appearances with six apiece. As a staff, Concordia owns a 4.30 ERA.
· In the new polls released last week, the Bulldogs remained at No. 1 in the GPAC while landing just outside the NAIA top 25 as the first team receiving votes. Concordia had been rated No. 18 in the preseason poll. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs missed out on opportunities to knock off ranked opponents in Florida when it dropped decisions by scores of 4-0 to No. 25 Warner University (Fla.) and 3-0 to No. 10 Bellevue University. Dominance within conference play will be the ticket to return to the top 25.
The opponents
In terms of quantity of games, Dakota Wesleyan has played the lightest schedule of any GPAC team. The Tigers entered this week at 5-4 overall. After tying for 10th in the GPAC last season, DWU was placed 10th in the 2022 GPAC preseason poll. The Tigers have a first-year head coach in Charlie Dubanoski, formerly the head assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls. Through nine games, DWU is averaging 8.0 runs per game and allowing 5.1 runs per contest. Matt Bezdicek is off to a hot start having gone 14-for- 36 (.389) with nine extra base hits.
Hastings is another program with a new head coach. Joel Schipper has taken the reins of the Broncos, who placed eighth in the GPAC last season. Hastings dropped two games on Monday and is still in the midst of its trip in Florida. Upon their return, the Broncos will open GPAC play on Saturday at Northwestern before making their way to Seward. Hastings has struggled at the plate to this point and sports a .231 team batting average. Gates Johnson (16.2 IP) has been used most heavily among the team’s pitchers. Johnson has recorded 26 strikeouts but has also allowed 16 walks.
Next week
The homestand to begin conference play will continue as Concordia will host Northwestern for doubleheaders on March 24-25. The Bulldogs will wait until the month of April before going on the road against a GPAC opponent.