WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team wrapped up its spring break trip with a bang – or rather, many loud pings. Seven of the team’s 22 hits on Monday (March 10) left the yard as the 21st-ranked Bulldogs run-ruled both Judson University (Ill.), 15-0, and Valley City State University (N.D.), 12-1, in action that took place at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla. Concordia still had plenty left in the tank while playing its sixth and seventh games in a four-day stretch.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad went 4-3 on a road trip that included a win over third-ranked Southeastern University. Through 18 games (12-6 record), the Bulldogs have looked the part of an NAIA top 25 team.
“The guys have done a good job,” Dupic said. “This trip’s been really fun. It’s been really quick though. It’s been a grind. We played seven games in four days after having some issues getting down here. This morning, we were waiting to see if we were going to play. There were chances of rain all morning. We really didn’t do much pregame stuff, but the guys did a great job continuing to play and be themselves. They played well in all facets today.”
From an offensive standpoint, second baseman Ty Nekoliczak led the way on Monday by collecting seven hits, including three doubles. Five different Concordia players went deep with two homers apiece from Jaidan Quinn and Jaeden Jordahl and one each from Brad Hallock, Bronx Lewis and Cade Vanis. With his two-run blast in the first inning versus Judson, Quinn reached 80 home runs for his career, joining former teammate Joey Grabanksi (89 career homers) in rarified air. As Dupic said afterwards of Quinn, “His play speaks for itself.”
Both contests on Monday were scheduled to go nine innings, but the relentlessly attacking nature of the Bulldog lineup paved the way for two run-rule shortened victories. Against Judson, Concordia put up three runs in the first, one in the second, four in the third and seven in the fourth. Nekoliczak went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs and three RBIs. Jordahl followed Quinn’s two-run shot in the first with a solo blast. Then in the third, Lewis busted the game wide open with a grand slam to right.
In game two, Nekoliczak (4-for-5), Vanis (2-for-3), Hallock (2-for-4) and Jordahl (2-for-4) all burned Viking pitching with multiple hits. Jordahl (four stolen bases on the day) homered in the first inning for a second-straight game. In piling on, Quinn blasted a three-run bomb in the fourth, Vanis drove a solo shot to center (first collegiate homer) in the seventh and Hallock enacted the run rule in the eighth with his two-run long ball to center. Up and down the lineup, Concordia is getting impressive production.
Said Dupic, “When you get to conference play, you want to have depth up and down your order and in your bullpen, off the bench and the way you run the bases and play defense. When you’re getting guys at the bottom to produce, it’s really hard on the other team. I’m really proud of the way guys are coming off the bench and performing their roles. We saw some good things from some of our bullpen guys today. We’re moving in the right direction.”
The Bulldog pitching staff covered 15 innings with just one run allowed on eight hits and 10 walks for the day. Cameron Pickens took the ball versus Judson and logged five shutout innings (five hits and two walks) with three strikeouts. Aaron Petty finished the contest off with two scoreless frames. Pickens and Petty were backed by a defensive lineup that played error-free.
In the final game of the trip, Concordia used five pitchers. Jake Nelms started and fanned six batters in three innings. Seth Calybourne threw one inning and got the win and was followed in relief by Sam Rambajan, Maverick Wylder and Alex Griess. They combined to limit Valley City State to just two hits.
On the season, Valley City State slipped to 9-11 while Judson fell to 7-5. VCSU competes as a member of the North Star Athletic Association while Judson is affiliated with the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Conference play is up next. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Northwestern (9-5) on Saturday and a twin bill at Midland (2-13) on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT on both days. Concordia was placed atop the 2025 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll after sharing the regular season title in 2024.