Updated Sunday (March 17) at 12:00 p.m.
SEWARD, Neb. – The four-game series scheduled to be played Saturday and Sunday between the Concordia University baseball team and Midland has been postponed. Midland has been unable to leave Fremont due to road closures caused by flooding. The games will be made up at later dates, which are to be determined.
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In order to avoid postponements, the first weekend of the GPAC baseball schedule has been adjusted. Nine conference teams will relocate to Bettis Sports Complex in Topeka, Kan. The Concordia University baseball team will play a four-game set with Midland in Kansas. The series will begin with a doubleheader at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday and then continue with a twin bill at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Fifth-year head coach Ryan Dupic’s squad will have had a week off from game action by the time the first pitch is thrown on Saturday. The Bulldogs went 5-7 during a 12-game stay at the Tucson Invitational (March 2-9) and now stand at 6-10 overall. The nonconference slate has been challenging. It has featured five games against NCAA Division II opponents and three against the NAIA’s current No. 7-rated team: Oklahoma City University.
Concordia will strive for greater consistency in conference play. The Bulldogs own a win over Oklahoma City and over NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University. On the flip side, They have dropped games by scores of 19-5 to Mount Marty and 16-3 to Minot State University (N.D.). Through 16 games, Concordia has been outscored, 110-96.
In terms of returners, outfielder Wade Council and second baseman Christian Meza are the backbone of the lineup. Third baseman Thomas Sautel has been out with a hand injury. So far this season, Meza is hitting .320 with four doubles, a home run and 13 RBIs. The native of San Diego keeps moving up the program’s all-time lists. He currently ranks in a tie for third in doubles (41), third in RBIs (114) and tied for sixth in hits (172). Meza’s 68 hits last season put him No. 3 on the school’s single season list. The current program record for career hits is held by Zak Goodrich (2009-12), who collected 234 hits while batting .364 in his career.
As a group, Concordia has shown an ability to hit the long ball. Evan Bohman and Keaton Candor have launched four home runs apiece to top the team. The team home run total has been pushed to 14. Beau Dorman (.419) and Luciano DePamphilis (.394) have been hot in the early going. DePamphilis’ 13 RBIs are tied with Meza for a team high. Bohman paced the squad with a .627 slugging percentage.
Midland, guided by head coach Chad Miller, entered this season having qualified for the national tournament three-straight years. The Warriors are 7-9 after completing a four-game series with Concordia University, Ann Arbor (March 10-11). Midland’s leading hitter is Jack Barrios, who is batting .386 with a home run and 12 RBIs. The Warriors have lacked punch so far (.372 slugging), but have gotten solid work from pitchers James Scurto (2.12 ERA), Daylon Owens (2.84) and Luke Egging (3.60).
With the venue change for the games versus Midland, Concordia is now scheduled to have its home opening doubleheader on March 30. A doubleheader originally scheduled to be played at Kansas Wesleyan University on Tuesday (March 19) has been canceled due to field unplayable field conditions. A makeup date has not been announced.