YANKTON, S.D. – A day after setting a new program standard for home runs in a single season, Jesse Garcia and the 20th-ranked Concordia University Baseball team played long ball again on Saturday (April 3). Garcia thundered three of the team’s five homers as part of a doubleheader sweep at Mount Marty. The Bulldogs won by scores of 10-3 and 10-9 while getting a quality pitching performance from Nick Little in game 1.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has completed a strong weekend that included a doubleheader split at Doane on Friday. Concordia stands at 23-4 overall and at 10-2 in the GPAC (tied for first).
“I was really pleased with the way we played the first game,” Dupic said. “We swung the bats well and Nick Little pitched a good ballgame. He pounded the strike zone again. Getting a complete game out of him allowed us to have some more bullpen guys available for game 2. Jesse really swung it well. The second game was not as clean – kind of back and forth. We had some plays and pitches that I wish we could have had back. Again, I was proud of the way the guys hung in there and found a way to win.”
Not just a slugger, Garcia may be the finest overall hitter in the entire GPAC. The native of El Cajon, Calif., has run his season home run total to 11, tying the program’s single-season record. Garcia went deep for a two-run homer apiece in the first and second innings of game 1. The Bulldogs quickly staked Little to a 6-0 lead, which grew to 9-0 in the top of the fourth. In that same contest, leadoff hitter Jayden Adams went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs and Beau Dorman contributed a two-run single.
Little (3-0) went all seven innings of game 1 and surrendered three runs on seven hits and two walks while recording six strikeouts. Little has won each of his last seven starts and ranks second on the program’s all-time wins list with 22.
In game 2, the outcome hung in the balance all the way to the final pitch. Garcia, Keaton Candor and Noah Janssen each connected for a homer apiece. As a pinch hitter, Janssen left the yard for a three-run blast in the top of the sixth, providing a 6-3 lead at the time. The Lancers responded and took a 7-6 lead in the bottom half. The final tallies for the Bulldogs came courtesy of a Jakob Faulk RBI single, Candor two-run single and Adams RBI single. With the potential winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth, Nathan Buckallew coaxed a pop out to end the game.
Dupic used six different pitchers in game 2. Caden Johnson fired the first two innings before giving way to Lukas Diehm, who navigated three frames and allowed one run while notching five strikeouts. Bulldog pitchers combined for 18 more punch outs on Saturday.
Mount Marty (17-13, 5-7 GPAC) got a home run apiece from Colin Muth and Charley Illg in game 2. A strong offensive squad, the Lancers totaled 19 hits on the day. Mount Marty had split a home twin bill with Hastings on Friday.
The Bulldogs are slated to be back at home next weekend (April 10-11) for a four-game series with Briar Cliff (22-9, 6-6 GPAC). First pitch from Plum Creek Park is set for 1 p.m. CT on both days.