VIDEO: Watch all 10 home runs hit by Concordia in the four-game series sweep
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2025 GPAC baseball regular season championship race was no contest. As part of senior day festivities, 13 seniors entangled themselves in the middle of a celebratory dogpile in conclusion of another utterly dominant doubleheader. The Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team completed a four-game dismantling of Dordt on Saturday (April 19) while clinching the GPAC regular season title with four games yet to be played next week. The latest victories came by scores of 23-1 and 11-1 at Plum Creek Park.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad moved to 33-9 overall (21-3 GPAC) while sewing up the fifth GPAC regular season title won by the program in an eight-year stretch. Accomplishing that feat on senior day was icing on the cake.
“Very blessed,” Dupic said. “It’s very cool to have so many people – family, friends and parents – celebrating here today. For our guys to get to celebrate so many different milestones, individual and team, all in the same weekend is really special. I’m just very grateful to have an opportunity to celebrate another conference championship and to do it at home on senior day. You really can’t ask for much more than that.”
A catalyst at the top of the lineup, senior Ty Nekoliczak moved past 250 career hits on Saturday. Said the Greeley, Neb., native of the moment, “It’s super special, especially to do it here in front of our home crowd and here on senior day. Our process in what we’ve prepped for and everything that we’ve worked through for the past eight months has set us up for this moment and gave us the opportunity to celebrate this.”
It’s safe to say Dordt pitchers will be happy not to see the Bulldogs until 2026. The four-game series saw Concordia outscore the Defenders by a combined tally of 65-10 while totaling 54 walks (yes, 54 of them) and 20 extra-base hits, including 10 home runs. In Saturday’s action, Jaidan Quinn launched two home runs (91 for his career) and Nekoliczak, Brad Hallock, Jaeden Jordahl and Matt Rhoades left the ballpark once apiece. Dordt wanted nothing to do with Quinn, who took 10 free passes in the series.
Saturday’s game one got out of hand early. The Defenders failed to score in the top of the first despite putting the first two runners on base. The Bulldogs quickly pounced as Quinn unleashed a laser of a two-run homer over the right field wall to set the tone. Concordia piled up six runs each in the first, third and sixth innings in a parade around the bases. There were 19 walks issued to the Bulldogs in the contest.
Not only did he homer on Saturday, Nekoliczak also smacked a bases clearing triple in the third inning of game one while going 4-for-6 with two walks and a stolen base. Hallock also collected four hits for the day while Jordahl added three knocks. Hallock continued to pad his GPAC RBI lead with eight more runs driven in. Meanwhile, Nekoliczak knocked in six runs and Quinn drove in five. In game one, much of the roster had the opportunity to contribute as Dupic made wholesale substitutions.
The pitching typically plays the role of backup singer when the offensive production looks like that, but Braxton Greenburg and Micah Sweeton turned in fine outings on Saturday. In game three of the series, Greenburg started and went five shutout innings with four hits and a walk allowed to go with five strikeouts. In the series finale, Dupic went with Rhoades for the opening inning before turning it over to Sweeton, who threw 5.1 innings with one run surrendered on five hits and two walks. He fanned nine hitters while picking up the win.
Counting GPAC postseason titles, Dupic has guided the program to eight conference championships in his 11 seasons (with 2020 wiped out by COVID-19). The Bulldogs have also clinched their seventh national tournament appearance (all under Dupic). With the carrot out in front of it to begin the weekend, Concordia stayed in the moment on each pitch.
Said Dupic in explaining the team’s consistency, “You have to go on a good run, and we went on a really good run. Then you have to win some close games, and we did that too. We won a ton of close games in a row. You have to do a good job in multiple facets. You can’t win every game one way. I think that’s what’s been different about this team this year.”
Given an opportunity to discuss his own accolades, Nekoliczak pointed the spotlight on the team. Said the NAIA Gold Glover, “It’s been awesome. This group has been one of the most fun I’ve ever been around. Every single person loves each other like a brother. We have such good relationships with the coaches. Top-down, this program is one of the best of the best.”
Concordia has won 22-straight series games versus Dordt (17-29, 6-18 GPAC). The rough series for the Defenders took them out of contention for a spot in the GPAC tournament.
During the senior day ceremony, Dupic presented both Christian Gutierrez (career wins) and Quinn (career home runs) with items to commemorate their new school records. In addition to aforementioned seniors in Greenburg, Gutierrez, Hallock, Nekoliczak and Quinn, the class includes Jimmy Blumberg, Seth Claybourne, Logan Fragomeni, Alex Johnson, Tanner Tompkins, Nate Weaver, Michael Welch and Maverick Wylder.
The homestand to finish off the regular season will continue this coming Thursday-Friday as the Bulldogs prepare to host Dakota Wesleyan (12-30, 11-13 GPAC). Game times are slated for 3 p.m. CT on Thursday and 1 p.m. on Friday. In this weekend’s action, the Tigers were swept in a four-game series by Briar Cliff.