FREMONT, Neb. – It was a blustery day to the extreme around the GPAC landscape. While battling high winds, the 17th-ranked Concordia University Baseball team and Midland split a pair of games played at Moller Field in Fremont, Neb., on Saturday (April 6). After the bats were quieted in an 8-2 loss in game one, the Bulldogs rebounded for a 13-3 victory in game two behind a nine-inning complete game pitching performance from Christian Gutierrez.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad saw its seven-game winning streak halted in game one. Concordia stands at 26-9 overall (10-4 GPAC) exactly halfway through the conference regular season slate.
“When the wind’s blowing in 30 miles per hour, you have to pitch and defend well,” Dupic said. “We didn’t do that in game one and they won. We pitched and defended well in game two – and they didn’t – so we won. We put ourselves in some tough situations in game one and then the roles were reversed in game two. Both teams probably felt like they played well in one game and not in the other. On days like today, you have to play clean and be on your game on the mound.”
With the winds howling in from center field, neither team left the yard all day in a typically hitter-friendly ballpark. Offensively, the Bulldogs did their best work in the fourth inning of game two when they tallied seven runs on five hits and three walks. The run-scoring hits in that frame came via Ty Nekoliczak (RBI single), Jay Adams (RBI double), Alec Blakestad (three-run double) and Matt Rhoades (RBI single). Concordia also put two runs apiece on the board in the first, fifth and ninth innings while avenging the game one defeat. A trio of Warrior errors aided the cause.
Gutierrez (5-2) threw 116 pitches while tossing his second complete game of the season. The righty from La Mirada, Calif., scattered nine hits and two walks (three strikeouts). Midland narrowly avoided the run rule by pushing across a run in the bottom of the seventh. Gutierrez has now throw six innings or more in five of his past six starts.
Said Dupic, “He’s done a good job. He’s a competitor. He can keep guys off balance and get fly balls. He’s such a good strike thrower and that keeps our defense in it.”
The outcomes were no surprise given Concordia committed four errors in game one and Midland made three miscues in game two. In that first contest, the potent Bulldog offense was limited to just two hits (one apiece from Jimmy Blumberg and Joey Grabanski). Midland pitcher Zachary Vincent twirled a gem in allowing just the two runs to go along with four strikeouts. On the flip side, Concordia hurlers Blake Benson (4 IP, 2 ER), Cameron Pickens (0.1 IP, 2 ER) and Kellen Ingram (1.2 IP, 3 ER) each surrendered multiple runs.
Joey Grabanski remains at 74 home runs for his career. He went 2-for-6 with a couple of runs scored on the day. One of his singles hit near the bottom of the left field wall. A career milestone was reached on Saturday by Adams, who moved past 200 career RBIs. The only others in program history to accomplish that feat are Grabanski (255) and Jesse Garcia (216). Other highlights from Saturday from a hitting perspective included two hits apiece in game two for Adams, Blakestad, Brad Hallock and Ty Nekoliczak. Blakestad doubled twice and knocked in four runs in the victory.
Midland (22-10, 8-6 GPAC) has the look of an improved club as compared to a year ago. With their win in game one, the Warriors snapped what had been a 10-game series skid against the Bulldogs. As part of that victory, Joshua Hardamon went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs and both Connor Petersen and Alec Villanueva drove in two runs.
The series will shift to Seward on Sunday for two games beginning at 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs are 4-2 at Plum Creek Park while coming off a home doubleheader sweep of No. 9 Doane this past Tuesday.