The Concordia University baseball team has a rough start to the weekend dropping a double header to Nebraska Wesleyan, 6-1 and 9-3, on Saturday before bouncing back and winning two against Dana, 10-3 and 4-1, on Sunday. The Bulldog starting pitchers were able to keep the Nebraska Wesleyan (12-11, 5-5 GPAC) bats from heating up but in both games the Bulldogs bullpens would be roughed up. The Prairie Wolves were able to get to sophomore starter Jacob Schaffer for four runs on seven hits while the Bulldogs were held to three hits in the 6-1 Nebraska Wesleyan victory.
In game two freshman starter Jacob Yurich was able to hold the Prairie Wolves at bay, and actually left the game after the fifth inning with a 3-1 victory. The Bulldog bullpen was then touched up for eight runs on six hits as Nebraska Wesleyan cruised to a 9-3 victory.
Concordia (5-26, 4-8 GPAC) was able to come back on Sunday and get the offense back on track as the Bulldogs were able to take down Dana (7-19, 4-8 GPAC) in back to back games.
In game one the Bulldog offense too center stage as Concordia put up 10 runs on eight hits, including two big homeruns. The first coming off the bat of junior short stop Casey Rodriguez, a three run blast over the right field fence that put Concordia in front 4-3. The second coming from junior first baseman Ben Ahlman, the two run home run put the Bulldogs out of reach of the Vikings for the 10-3 victory. Sophomore starter John Couch picked up his first victory of the season. Couch went a complete seven innings giving up only three runs (one earned) on five hits.
Rodriguez finished game one going 1-for-2 with four RBI and two runs scored, while senior BJ Juelfs added a productive day at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Game two saw some of the same offensive fireworks from the Bulldogs but the bigger story was that of senior starting pitcher Matt Rottmann who threw a complete game. Rottmann was able to keep the Viking bats at bay as well as give the Concordia bullpen a much needed day of rest. Rottmann scattered five hits through seven innings and only allowed one run to cross the plate as the Bulldogs cruised to the 4-1 victory.
Offensively the Bulldogs were led by Juelfs and sophomore center fielder Nate Schmoll who each went 2-for-3. Schmoll added two RBI while Juelfs had a lone RBI. Ahlman added another long ball, his fourth of the season, as he went 1-for-3.
The Bulldogs get some much needed rest this week as they prepare for GPAC rival Doane College to come to Memorial Field for a 5 p.m. double header on Friday, April 11.
Nebraska Wesleyan at Concordia Game 1 Box Score
Nebraska Wesleyan at Concordia Game 2 Box Score
Dana at Concordia Game 1 Box Score
Dana at Concordia Game 2 Box Score