SEWARD, Neb. – A unique eight-game homestand to begin the conference schedule will continue this week as the Concordia University Baseball team hosts Northwestern for a four-game series. The two sides will go head-to-head on Thursday and Friday from Plum Creek Park. The Bulldogs hope to carry over their success from this past weekend when they started 4-0 within the GPAC thanks to doubleheader sweeps over Dakota Wesleyan and Hastings. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad stands at 15-6-1 overall.
This Week
Thursday, March 24 vs. Northwestern (10-10, 2-2 GPAC), 5 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast/Stats
Friday, March 25 vs. Northwestern (10-10, 2-2 GPAC), 3 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast/Stats
By the numbers
· The 2022 Concordia edition is shaping up to be just as potent as the ’21 squad that essentially rewrote the program’s entire record book. Through 22 games this season, the Bulldogs are hitting .355 with a .461 on-base percentage and .642 slugging percentage. They have already slugged 45 home runs (halfway to the school single season record set last season). Concordia easily leads the GPAC in each of those aforementioned statistical categories. Nationally, the Bulldogs currently rank third in slugging percentage, fourth in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage and eighth in home runs. Each of the teams listed above Concordia in the home run category has played at least three additional games.
· Over the weekend, the Bulldogs defeated Dakota Wesleyan by scores of 20-10 and 18-3 and Hastings by scores of 13-5 and 10-3. Returning First Team All-GPAC outfielder Joey Grabanski led the way by going 11-for-15 with six runs, three doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs over the four games. Six other Concordia hitters with at least nine plate appearances on the weekend batted better than .400: Ben Berg (6-for-9), Alec Blakestad (9-for-15), Jayden Adams (9-for-18), Jesse Garcia (5-for-11), Tanner Tompkins (3-for-7) and Ty Nekoliczak (5-for-12). Over the four wins, the Bulldogs outhomered their opponents by a combined total of 17-1 and outscored them, 61-21.
· Keaton Candor entered this past weekend even with Kaleb Geiger atop the program’s all-time RBI list. Candor moved to No. 1 by producing a combined seven RBIs in the first four games of conference play. The fifth-year Bulldog now stands at the top of the record book for career home runs (35) and RBIs (153). He also sports all-time school ranks of second in runs (138), fourth in hits (191) and seventh in doubles (36). Candor needs nine more hits to become just the third player in program history to reach 200 for a career. Of course the native of Merrill, Iowa, has competition within the current team for spots in the record book. Jesse Garcia has totaled 32 career home runs and Grabanski already has 25 despite being only about halfway through his sophomore season.
· The catching situation is a healthy one for Concordia. Ben Berg came back from injury over the weekend and did not miss a beat. He went 6-for-9 with three home runs and eight RBIs in his two starts against GPAC foes. A freshman from Normal, Ill., Tompkins has also been hot with the bat. In 14 games, Tompkins has hit .423 (22-for-52) with two home runs, seven doubles and 19 RBIs. Also a catcher, Michael Welch is 4-for-11 with two home runs while appearing in eight games. In other words, the Bulldogs have at least three players at the position worthy of starting.
· The pitching staff has been overshadowed simply because of how otherworldly the production has been offensively. Dupic’s most trusted starting pitcher has been Caden Bugarske, who is 4-1 with a 4.40 ERA over his first six starts (28.2 innings). In addition, Caden Johnson went 5.1 strong innings (two runs allowed) in the final game of this past weekend. Out of the bullpen, Shane Whittaker may possess the nastiest stuff. He’s fanned 16 hitters in 8.1 innings and has allowed just a single run. Overall, the staff continues to be adept at getting swings and misses. It has recorded 196 strikeouts in 157.2 innings.
· Leadoff man Jayden Adams has also been going deep more often this season. His seven home runs are the third most on the team (behind Grabanski and Jaidan Quinn with eight apiece) and are already a career high. Adams could wind up being another 200-hit performer before his career is over. He’s up to 133 while hitting .416 with a .505 on-base percentage and .766 slugging percentage in 2022. Adams’ broke program single season records in 2021 with 76 hits and 65 runs scored. The Waverly, Neb., native was named First Team All-GPAC.
The opponent
Northwestern won the GPAC regular season title as recently as 2018 while under the direction of Brian Wede, who has won more than 400 games as a head coach. While Concordia boasts several sluggers, the Red Raiders’ have one of the conference’s top hitters so far this season in Kip Cullinan, who is batting .448 with eight doubles, five home runs and 24 RBIs. Northwestern should also provide a stiffer challenge for the Bulldog bats. The top starter for the Red Raiders has been Brett Shelton, who sports a 2.97 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. In its start to conference play last week, Northwestern dropped two at Mount Marty before sweeping Hastings at home. The Red Raiders landed at No. 7 in the 2022 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
Next week
After completing the four-game series with Northwestern, the Bulldogs will look forward to four with Midland the weekend of April 2-3. The two sides will be in Fremont, Neb., on April 2 before shifting to Seward on April 3.