DICKINSON, N.D. – In a span of just a couple of days, the Concordia University Baseball team has ventured south to Sterling, Kan., and then up to Dickinson, N.D. In action in North Dakota on Friday (March 12), the Bulldogs got strong pitching performances from Jake Fosgett and Trent Wood while continuing to slug the ball around the yard. Concordia won by scores of 12-1 and 8-1.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has raced out to an 11-2 overall record. The Bulldogs have won six in a row with each game decided by margins of seven or more runs.
“Jake and Trent pitched very well,” Dupic said. “They both had really good starts and we got some good bullpen work, particularly in the second game. AJ Cotton came in with first and third with one out (in the seventh) and stranded both guys. Cale Mathison pitched great.
“We really swung the bats well in that first game. We barreled a lot of balls – even our outs were hit hard. The second game we probably didn’t have quite as good of at bats but still had some big swings. I really thought we played well defensively today.”
Concordia’s offensive production has been something to behold through the first 13 games. In Friday’s first game, the Bulldogs collected 18 hits (eight for extra bases) and five walks. Out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup, shortstop Alec Blakestad went 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, a triple and an RBI. Red hot Jayden Adams notched three hits of his own and scored two runs and drove in two more. Meanwhile, Beau Dorman went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs.
Fosgett fired five shutout frames in game 1. He allowed three hits and fanned nine Blue Hawks without issuing a free pass. Then in game 2, Wood covered 6.1 innings with a line that included one unearned run on four hits and two walks. Wood recorded eight strikeouts. As mentioned by Dupic, Cotton got two big outs in the seventh and Cale Mathison tossed two shutout innings to finish off the sweep.
The home run tally for the day wound up at five (27 for the season). Dorman and Joey Grabanski clubbed one home run each in both ends of the twin bill and Jesse Garcia went deep in game 2. Garcia notched two hits, a run and two RBIs in the second game. Ben Berg and Teyt Johnson added a double apiece in game 1 as part of the hit parade. Over the doubleheader, Bulldog hitters combined for 24 hits and 14 walks.
After his big performance in game 1, Blakestad walked three times and scored two runs in the second contest. The Millard, Neb., native has made the lineup even scarier. Said Dupic, “Alec played really well and made some great plays at shortstop. I thought the middle infield was really good.”
Dickinson State (1-5) has played exclusively against GPAC opponents. The Blue Hawks opened their season by dropping three of four in the series at Mount Marty.
The same two sides will meet up again on Saturday for a noon MT (1 p.m. CT) doubleheader in Dickinson. To watch the games live, check out the Dickinson State baseball Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dickinsonstatebaseball.