VIDEO: Bulldogs blast nine home runs in doubleheader sweep
SEWARD, Neb. – The hitters for Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball licked their chops as they arrived at Plum Creek Park to find the wind howling straight out to center field on Friday (March 28). The 22nd-ranked Bulldogs used the conditions to their advantage and slugged nine home runs in the process of obliterating new GPAC member Waldorf, 15-9 and 21-5, in their first home doubleheader of the 2025 season. Jaidan Quinn left the yard three times in game two and pulled even for the program career home run record.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad raised its GPAC record to 8-2 (20-8 overall) while continuing to pulverize the baseball like it didn’t just graduate three First Team All-GPAC outfielders. The beat goes on.
“I don’t know – I’m not sure what to say about those guys,” Dupic said. “They do a good job. On favorable days like this, when guys have the opportunity to get good pitches to hit, they do a great job. When I see us laying off borderline pitches, that’s when I know we’re in a good spot. I’m really pleased with what they’ve done. The power has really come along as the season’s gone on.”
Every at-bat is a fireworks show waiting to happen when Quinn steps into the box. In Friday’s second game, Quinn smacked a solo homer in the first, another solo in the second and then a three-run shot in the third. The All-American third baseman never got another chance at tying his own school record for a single game (four homers). Waldorf intentionally walked him when he came to the plate (with no one on base) in the fifth. Quinn was then later pinch hit for, meaning his career home run count would have to remain at 88. That number equals Joey Grabanski’s school record.
But Quinn was far from the only Bulldog to inflict significant damage on Friday. In game one, four Concordia players not named Quinn left the park. Three bombs came in the first inning as Brad Hallock sent a two-run shot to center, Matt Rhoades blasted a solo to right center and Bronx Lewis clubbed a two-run homer to right. A couple of innings later, Tanner Tompkins ripped an 0-2 pitch for a two-run homer. The Bulldogs built a 15-4 lead before the Warriors put five runs up in the seventh.
For good measure, Hallock added another homer in game two and Michael Welch pulverized a two-run shot as part of a catcher tandem that has been ultra-productive. On the day, Concordia paraded around the bases with a combined 36 runs coming on 31 hits and 15 walks (plus three hit-by-pitches).
Go ahead and walk Quinn. It doesn’t matter the way the Bulldogs are swinging it right now. Said Hallock, who has been on a heater of his own, “The big thing is we’re just getting pitches that we can hit. We’re making them work. We didn’t get too big today. We knew going in that the wind was going to be blowing out, so we tried to get the ball in the air. We made sure they stayed in the zone. We’re going really good.”
Twelve Bulldogs registered at least one hit on the day. Jaeden Jordahl led the way by going 5-for-8 with three doubles and five RBIs. Jimmy Blumberg, Lewis and Rhoades notched four hits apiece. Logan Fragomeni even got a pinch-hit opportunity and drove in a run and Zackery Day delivered a pinch-hit two-run double. Day stole two bases and is now two away from the program career record.
The pitchers for Concordia were tasked with limiting fly balls as much as possible. In game one, senior Christian Gutierrez went six innings and earned his fifth win (26th career) while scattering 10 hits (no walks). Gutierrez fanned five hitters. In game two, freshman Micah Sweeton worked 4.2 innings with one run allowed on six hits and three walks (four strikeouts). Five Bulldogs were then summoned from the bullpen over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The pitchers were helped by a defense that committed only one error on the day.
Said Dupic of the work of the staff, “I thought they did a pretty good job. The key on days like this is you can’t walk a lot of guys. You have to make people earn it and throw strikes. We were able to keep them off balance enough.”
Waldorf (10-19, 5-7 GPAC) started out 5-3 in league play before being swept in back-to-back doubleheaders by Dakota Wesleyan and Concordia. The Warriors did manage to hit four homers of their own on Friday. Lucas Romero went deep twice in game one. However, Waldorf’s two starting pitchers were tagged for a combined 19 runs.
Instead of playing on Sunday, the Bulldogs will now host Briar Cliff (12-13, 5-5 GPAC) at 2 p.m. CT on Monday (March 31). The twin bill was pushed back a day due to Sunday’s unfavorable weather forecast. Concordia and Briar Cliff split a doubleheader in Sioux City, Iowa, last season. The Chargers picked up some momentum on Friday by taking two from Doane.