SEWARD, Neb. – A phenomenal start to the 2021 season has led to a conference award for the hot hitting Jesse Garcia. On Tuesday (March 23), the league announced Garcia as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Player of the Week. The Concordia University Baseball program has collected each of the first three GPAC Player of the Week honors in 2021 with second baseman Jayden Adams having claimed the other two.
A native of El Cajon, Calif., Garcia stands out as one reason why the Bulldogs are ranked in the NAIA coaches’ top 25 poll for the first time in program history. The first baseman/designated hitter went 7-for-14 (.500) with seven runs, a double, two home runs and six RBIs in last week’s four-game series with Midland. Both four-baggers came in the series finale and pushed Garcia’s career home run tally to 23 (No. 2 on the program’s all-time list). Garcia is the current GPAC leader in slugging percentage (.967), on base percentage (.605) and home runs (eight).
Garcia ranks second on the team to Adams in batting average with a .467 clip. Garcia has driven in 22 runs and has scored 23 times. He’s also the team leader in walks (14) and hit-by-pitches (seven). Garcia has struck out only five times in 60 at bats.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad (16-3, 3-1 GPAC) is scheduled to host Dordt both Friday and Saturday as part of a four-game series at Plum Creek Park. First pitch will be at 4 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.