UPDATE: Due to potential rain in Seward this week, the Concordia-Dakota Wesleyan series has been moved to Mitchell, S.D. Doubleheaders will take place at Drake Field on both Friday and Saturday.
SEWARD, Neb. – With the GPAC regular season title and NAIA national tournament automatic bid secured, the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team can play without pressure as it prepares to take on Dakota Wesleyan for four games. This will be the final week of regular season action across the NAIA baseball landscape. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad sports a GPAC league record of 21-3 (33-9 overall) after a four-game dismantling of Dordt this past weekend. Since March 22, the Bulldogs have won 18 of their past 19 games.
This Weekend
Friday, April 25 at Dakota Wesleyan (12-30, 11-13 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Drake Field (Mitchell, S.D.)
Saturday, April 26 at Dakota Wesleyan (12-30, 11-13 GPAC), 12 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Drake Field (Mitchell, S.D.)
By the numbers
· Once a long drive to right center off the bat of Brad Hallock landed on April 19, Concordia players celebrated with a dogpile. The completion of a four-game sweep of Dordt clinched the Bulldogs’ fifth GPAC regular season title under Head Coach Ryan Dupic (who began his tenure in 2015). Concordia also claimed GPAC regular season championships in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2024 and celebrated GPAC tournament titles in 2021, 2022 and 2024. With a 21-3 league record, the ’25 team ran away from the pack. As of the beginning of the week, the next closest foes in the standings were Doane (14-8), Morningside (15-9) and Briar Cliff (14-10). By winning the outright GPAC title, the Bulldogs snapped Doane’s four-year string of either sharing or earning outright GPAC regular season titles of its own. The Tigers control their own destiny for the No. 2 seed, which also comes with the opportunity to host GPAC tournament action.
· Concordia’s mastery of Dordt continues. The Bulldogs have won each of their last 22 games played against the Defenders, who were eliminated from GPAC tournament qualification courtesy of their four losses endured at Plum Creek Park. Concordia outscored Dordt by a combined tally of 65-10 as it won by respective scores of 17-5, 14-3, 23-1 and 11-1. Incredibly, Bulldog hitters worked 54 walks over the four games. Concordia also homered 10 times versus Defender pitching as Jaidan Quinn and Brad Hallock both homered three times and four Bulldogs left the yard once apiece: Bronx Lewis, Jaeden Jordahl, Ty Nekoliczak and Matt Rhoades. Nekoliczak went 9-for-14 for the series. The winning pitchers were Concordia’s four main starters (in order): Alex Johnson, Christian Gutierrez, Braxton Greenburg and Micah Sweeton. Between games, the Bulldogs celebrated a class of 13 seniors.
· The All-American Jaidan Quinn had been stuck on 88 career home runs since March 28 – that is until he pulverized a two-run shot in the second inning of game one versus Dordt. No. 89 pushed Quinn past former teammate Joey Grabanski (88 career home runs) as Concordia’s all-time home run king. Quinn hit two additional home runs on the weekend to move his total to 91. As indicated below, the Bonner Springs, Kan., native ranks near the top of the school record lists in nearly all major categories. The walks have piled up for Quinn, who leads all NAIA players (entering the week) with 53 free passes. Quinn’s season on-base percentage is an otherworldly .567.
o Jaidan Quinn program career ranks:
o Home runs – 1st (91)
o Walks – 1st (172)
o RBIs – 2nd (261)
o Runs – 2nd (261)
o Hits – 5th (242)
o Doubles – 5th (46)
o Batting average – 6th (.358)
· The Bulldogs are building a résumé that they hope will provide an opportunity to host an NAIA opening round (in Lincoln). In the April 14 release of the NAIA Bo Chip ratings (NAIA RPI), Concordia landed at No. 7. The Bulldogs also jumped two spots to No. 15 in the NAIA coaches’ poll announced on April 16. The 2025 team is beginning to threaten the program’s all-time highest NAIA coaches’ poll ranking of No. 12 in 2021, a season that culminated with a trip to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho. Additionally, the Bulldogs appeared at No. 17 in the most recent NAIABall media poll.
· Brad Hallock remains a step ahead of his teammates for the conference lead in home runs and RBIs. Hallock moved his season totals to 21 home runs and 66 RBIs following the Dordt series. Jaidan Quinn is hot on his heels with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs while Matt Rhoades lurks at No. 3 in the GPAC in home runs (14) and RBIs (52). With his recent surge, Ty Nekoliczak has climbed to No. 4 in the conference in batting average (.396). On the pitching side of things, Alex Johnson tops the league in ERA (2.63) and strikeouts (77) while Christian Gutierrez is tied for the GPAC lead in wins (seven). Braxon Greenburg is No. 2 in the strikeout category with 67. Additionally, closer Daiten Schmidt ranks second in the GPAC in saves with eight.
· The four-man pitching rotation continues to give Concordia a chance each time out. The crew includes Alex Johnson (6-2, 2.63 ERA, 13.50 K/9), Braxton Greenburg (5-0, 3.21 ERA, 11.31 K/9), Christian Gutierrez (7-2, 3.86 ERA, 8.46 K/9) and Micah Sweeton (6-1, 5.36 ERA, 10.71 K/9). Collectively, they own a combined record of 24-5. Gutierrez picked up his 28th career win as part of the Dordt series and broke the program career wins record as he surpassed Nick Little (27 career wins). Matt Rhoades started on the mound in the series finale versus Dordt before quickly giving way to Sweeton. As a staff, the Bulldogs lead the GPAC in ERA (4.64) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.53).
· Ty Nekoliczak deserves special mention for his hot streak. The Greeley, Neb., native carries an eight-game hitting streak into the week. Over that stretch (which includes the Mount Marty and Dordt series), Nekoliczak has hit .548 (17-for-31) with 17 runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a home run, seven RBIs and six stolen bases. He’s also been a perfect 27-for-27 on fielding chances during that same timeframe. This past weekend, Nekoliczak eclipsed 250 career hits (currently at 252), and trails only Jayden Adams (352), Joey Grabanski (309) and Jesse Garcia (270) in program history. Nekoliczak is the reigning NAIA Gold Glove award winner at second base.
· BONUS: Concordia owns a 12-game winning streak at Plum Creek Park dating back to the 2024 GPAC tournament. Over those 12 games, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 132-29.
The opponent
Dakota Wesleyan entered the week on an eight-game skid. The Tigers have struggled mightily outside of league play (1-17) but have positioned themselves for a spot in the GPAC tournament. Now in his fifth season as head coach, Charlie Dubanoski led the ’24 team to an overall mark of 15-35 (7-21 GPAC). This year’s squad opened GPAC play at 10-3 before plummeting in the GPAC standings. Two regulars are hitting better than .300: Dexter Payne (.314) and Caleb Meyers (.303). Meyers paces the team with four home runs. DWU has used three main starters in its pitching rotation: Alexander Mizsak (4-4, 4.66 ERA), Dakota Munger (1-6, 5.27 ERA) and Mitchell Sand (2-5, 7.08 ERA). In perhaps their best day of the season to date, the Tigers swept a doubleheader from Doane in Crete on March 29. Should DWU remain at No. 8 in the league standings, it will be right back at Plum Creek Park next week for the GPAC tournament.
GPAC Tournament
With the league’s No. 1 seed clinched, the Bulldogs are locked into hosting one of the two four-team pods that will make up the 2025 GPAC tournament. Pod play from Plum Creek Park will run from April 30-May 2 (Wednesday-Friday). The two squads that emerge as winners from their respective pods will meet in the GPAC Championship Game on Monday, May 5.