OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – In wrapping up the opening weekend of the 2026 season, Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball dug an early hole and fell at the hands of No. 22 Bellevue University, 5-2, before regrouping for a 6-3 win over host Oklahoma City University. The pair of games on Sunday (Feb. 8) concluded a triangular that saw the 16th-ranked Bulldogs win three of four contests at Jim Wade Stadium. Concordia managed to put six runs on the board in the weekend finale despite just three hits.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad went 2-0 versus OCU and 1-1 versus Bellevue in Oklahoma City. Pitching depth and plate discipline were keys to a strong weekend.
“I thought there were a lot of positives in both games,” Dupic said. “Bellevue’s got a really nice team and we were really challenged by them. We were right there. We just got beat on a couple pitches, but it’s good to play good competition this time of year and be challenged. I was really pleased with the last game. We were struggling offensively, but we battled and stayed with it. Cade Vanis had a big at bat to start the rally for us and we knocked their pitcher out. I think our depth on the mound won out.”
In Sunday’s matchup with the Stars, the Bulldogs trailed 1-0 into the sixth inning before manufacturing a pair of three-run frames. Vanis, Bronx Lewis and Jaeden Jordahl each walked to load the bases with one out. Concordia then took the lead as Zack Day scored on a wild pitch, Andrew Fetty drove in a run with a bloop hit and Jake Tyler knocked home another with a sacrifice fly. An inning later, two walks and a hit batter set the stage for Bronx Lewis’ bases-clearing double.
The six runs were enough of a cushion thanks to the pitching of newcomers Devin Gonor and Warren Rose and another errorfree defensive performance. In his collegiate debut, the lefty Gonor went 3.2 innings with one run allowed on two hits and a walk. He fanned five OCU hitters. Rose entered in the fourth and wound up with the win after he recorded the final 10 outs (three K’s). His one mistake resulted in a two-run homer for Jared Raasch, but it was too little, too late for the Stars.
The in-state Bruins rode a three-run second inning to victory in Sunday’s matinee. The Bulldogs attempted to chip away with Jack Hirchert’s first Concordia homer, a solo shot in the fourth. In the fifth, Jordahl plated a run with a sac fly. Catcher Jack Nelson produced three of the Bulldogs’ six hits in the defeat. Bellevue pitcher Brayden Anderson went six strong innings (one earned run) and earned the win.
Dupic called upon four pitchers versus the Bruins. Micah Sweeton made his first start of 2026 and covered 3.2 innings (three earned runs and six strikeouts). Freshman Brody Smearer got the best results as he recorded 2.1 shutout innings with three K’s. Harrison Hoiekvam and Tyler Pauly combined to navigate the seventh inning. As a staff, the Bulldogs surrendered 16 runs (13 earned) in 28 weekend innings.
As the lineup continues to take shape, Concordia will hang its hat on plate discipline. The Bulldogs took 10 walks on Sunday and 23 on the weekend (compared to 11 free passes issued to the opposition). Concordia also got a home run apiece from four different players during its stay in Oklahoma City.
Said Dupic, “We feel like we need that (discipline) to be a backbone of what we do. We want to swing at good pitches to hit. Once we can take another step and get a few more barrels, that can take us to another level. Right now we’re trying to have a foundation of getting good pitches to hit to put us in some good situations. We’re still figuring ourselves out. We’re a work in progress. We played some good ballclubs and went 3-1 – we’ll certainly take that as a start.”
The Bulldogs are scheduled to spend next weekend (Feb. 14-15) in Joplin, Mo., while playing at both Wendell Redden Stadium and Joe Becker Stadium. The opponents will be Mission University (Mo.) on day one and Clarke University (Iowa) on day two.