LAKELAND, Fla. – Game three of the four-game spring break clash with third-ranked Southeastern required a relentless offensive performance from the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team. Sophomore Matt Rhoades and company proved up to the task. Rhoades slugged two of his side’s five long balls in Saturday (March 8)’s 20-13 Bulldog win over the previously unbeaten Fire. Host Southeastern then rebounded to take the final game of the series, 9-3, in Lakeland, Fla.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad wound up dropping three of four in the series but proved it could compete with – and even defeat – a program that has stood out as one of the elites of NAIA baseball.
“Our guys’ at-bats were exceptional,” Dupic said in recapping the win. “They did a really good job staying with it the entire game and pushing runs across. They really grinded out at-bats and did a good job getting to the bullpen early. Seth Claybourne came in and was kind of able to manage things in the middle of the game before DJ Andersen came in. He got hot and did a great job late.
“We didn’t pitch and defend well enough as a whole, and that part is disappointing. We played a really good club, and it doesn’t mean would we have won (game four), but we certainly would have been right in it. We have some work to do there.”
The 2025 Concordia squad is shaping up to be another that can pile up runs with the best of them. By the middle of the third inning of Saturday’s first game, the budding star Rhoades had already homered twice and driven in eight runs. The first baseman from Monument, Colo., mashed a three-run blast in the first, added an RBI single in the second and then powdered a grand slam in the third. The second homer staked the Bulldogs to an 11-2 lead.
The powerful offensive lineup of Southeastern (21-1) never let Concordia get comfortable. The Fire closed within 12-10 in the fifth and 15-13 in the sixth. However, SEU failed to come all the way back as the fireworks continued for Concordia. Jimmy Blumberg delivered a solo homer in the fourth (first as a Bulldog), Bronx Lewis pulverized a three-run shot in the seventh and Brad Hallock added insurance with a two-run laser of four-bagger to left in the eighth. Concordia finished series game three with 14 hits, including three from Rhoades and two apiece from Blumberg, Lewis, Ty Nekoliczak and Tanner Tompkins.
Saturday’s first contest played out over nearly four hours as a combined 11 pitchers were used. The Bulldogs got to SEU’s bullpen in the first inning. Meanwhile, Concordia leaned upon Braxton Greenburg (3 IP), Seth Claybourne (2.1 IP) and DJ Andersen (3.2 IP). The Vacaville, Calif., native Andersen racked up nine strikeouts without allowing a run and earned credit for the save.
In the series finale, a seven-run second inning for Southeastern made the difference. The Fire were able to tag reigning GPAC Pitcher of the Week Micah Sweeton with seven runs (six earned) in 1.1 innings. Harrison Hoiekvam covered the final 4.2 innings (two runs allowed) in relief of Sweeton. Five errors by the Bulldogs also played a role in the outcome. Offensively, Concordia got a solo homer from Jaidan Quinn (79th career homer) and a sac fly from Nekoliczak.
Through 15 games, the Bulldogs have amassed 129 runs and have slugged 25 homers. The offense continues to produce even as Concordia introduced several newcomers to the lineup. Said Dupic, “They’ve done a good job. It’s different guys different days. I’ve been pleased with their approaches and the way they play. We have pretty good balance up and down the order, and that was the case in game one today.”
At No. 3 in the NAIA coaches’ poll, Southeastern is the highest rated opponent Dupic’s program has defeated since he arrived prior to the 2015 season. The Bulldogs have beaten at least one team ranked in the top 10 for a fourth-straight season.
Three more games remain on the Florida spring break slate for the Bulldogs. As part of the RussMatt Invitational on Sunday, Concordia will take on Lawrence Tech University (Mich.) in Winter Haven at 8:15 a.m. CT / 9:15 a.m. ET. The Bulldogs are also scheduled to play a pair of games in Winter Haven on Monday.