SEWARD, Neb. – The opening of GPAC play for the Concordia University Baseball team was put on hold this past weekend after the combination of rain and cold weather postponed scheduled doubleheaders with Doane and Briar Cliff. The Bulldogs will try again this week as they prepare to play at Briar Cliff on Tuesday before welcoming Northwestern to Plum Creek Park for a four-game Thursday-Friday series (instead of the originally scheduled Friday-Saturday alignment). Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has been idle since wrapping up its Florida tour on March 9. Concordia owns an overall record of 16-5 and is ranked No. 13 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
This week
Tuesday, March 19 at Briar Cliff (7-11, 1-1 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bishop Mueller Field (Sioux City, Iowa)
Thursday, March 21 vs. Northwestern (12-11, 3-1 GPAC), 5 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
Friday, March 22 vs. Northwestern (12-11, 3-1 GPAC), 2 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: Game 1 – Game 2 | Location: Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The first NAIA coaches’ poll of the 2024 regular season was released on March 13. In that poll, the Bulldogs jumped all the way up to No. 13 after having received votes in the preseason poll that came out back in November. The No. 13 national ranking is just one spot off the highest ranking in school history. The 2021 NAIA World Series qualifying squad rose as high as No. 12 in the coaches’ poll. Dupic’s program has cracked the national top 25 for a fourth-straight season. The 2023 squad landed at No. 24 in the season’s final poll. Concordia has received votes nationally in seven-straight campaigns.
· While going 8-2 in the state of Florida, Concordia earned wins over Keiser University (Fla.) (two), Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio), Valley City State University (N.D.), Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.), Lawrence Technological University (Mich.), Siena Heights University (Mich.) and Warner University (Fla.). The two losses came against Keiser (three-game series) and No. 8 Cumberlands. Over the 10-game run, the Bulldogs outscored their foes by a combined total of 73-49 and batted .283 with a .380 on-base percentage and .539 slugging percentage. The Concordia pitching staff posted a 3.96 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 75 innings.
· Concordia homered 20 times in Florida. Multiple homers were belted by the likes of Jaidan Quinn (five), Jay Adams (four), Alec Blakestad (three), Joey Grabanski (three) and Matt Rhoades (two). Adams put forth the team’s highest batting average on the trip as he went 14-for-35 (.400) with three doubles, four homers and 10 RBIs. It was also a fine stretch for Granbanski, who batted. 382 (13-for-34) with three doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs. Several Bulldog pitchers also threw solidly in Florida. Closer Maverick Wylder threw five shutout innings and collected two wins and three saves. Christian Gutierrez logged the most innings (14.1) as he allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and a walk to go along with 14 strikeouts. Three others did not allow a run in Florida: Rhoades (4.1 IP), Jacob Lycan (3.2 IP) and Sam Rambajan (2.1 IP).
· The Bonner Springs, Kan., native Quinn has already earned two GPAC Player of the Week awards and an NAIA National Player of the Week honor. Quinn enters this week leading the NAIA with 13 home runs. In this season’s first 21 games, Quinn is batting .435 (30-for-69) with 31 runs, seven doubles and 33 RBIs while sporting a .543 on-base percentage and 1.101 slugging percentage. The career numbers for Quinn are also eye popping. In 137 games as a Bulldog, Quinn has batted .360 with 59 home runs and 163 RBIs. He owns a career on-base percentage of .513 and slugging percentage of .845.
· In recent action, Adams rose to the top of the program’s all-time lists for hits (294) and doubles (60). He’s also the school standard bearer for runs scored (241). The Waverly, Neb., native is closing in on becoming the first player in program history to reach 300 career hits. Over 211 games in Concordia blue, Adams has also totaled 40 home runs, 191 RBIs and 480 total bases. His career batting average stands at .358.
· With a homer and a double in the final game of the road trip, Grabanski moved past 500 career total bases, making him the first player in program history to accomplish that feat. In his career, the Grand Forks, N.D., native has recorded 145 singles, 46 doubles and 67 home runs. According to the NAIA record book entering this season, Grabanski ranks third in the history of the NAIA for career home runs. The top two in the association’s history are Brice Cutspec (77) and Steve Dover (72).
· Dupic’s career record stands at 298-168-1 in 10 seasons leading the program. A year ago, he became the winningest coach in the history of Concordia Baseball. Entering this season, the Bulldogs were one of seven NAIA programs to have won 40 or more games in each of the past three years. Dupic has guided the program to a combined five GPAC championships, five national tournaments and one NAIA World Series appearance.
· The bullpen has emerged as an early strength for Concordia. The team’s most effective relievers to this point have been Logan Fragomeni (1.12 ERA in 8.0 IP), Jacob Lycan (1.42 ERA in 6.1 IP), Sam Rambajan (0.00 ERA in 3.1 IP) and Maverick Wylder (1.12 ERA in 8.0 IP). The team ERA sits at 4.23 in 151 innings. Christian Gutierrez has gone 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 25.2 innings as a starter.
The opponents
Briar Cliff was picked seventh by the coaches in the GPAC preseason poll. The Chargers have started 7-11 after finishing last season at 23-26 (9-19 GPAC). Head Coach Corby McGlauflin returns 2023 Honorable Mention All-GPAC award winners Matt Hmielewski and Kyle Steinborn. So far this season, Briar Cliff is batting .253 and is averaging 3.6 runs scored per game. The pitching staff sports an ERA of 5.90. Steinborn has made five starts and owns a 1-2 record and 3.66 ERA in 32 innings. The Chargers opened GPAC play this past Friday and split a home doubleheader with Hastings. The Broncos took game one, 4-3, before Briar Cliff rebounded to win game two, 8-1.
Northwestern played its four league games as scheduled last week. The Red Raiders split a doubleheader at Mount Marty (lost 8-3 and won 5-3) and then swept a home twin bill from Dakota Wesleyan (by scores o 1-0 and 7-1). Northwestern managed to win game one in 10 innings over DWU while getting nine shutout innings from pitcher Drew Dykstra. Through 23 games, Northwestern is batting .281 with an average of 5.7 runs per game. The pitching staff owns a 6.32 ERA in 168 innings. Head Coach Brian Wede’s squad returns three 2023 All-GPAC selections: Dylan Kirkeby (first team), Mason Porepp (honorable mention) and Sam Stanford (honorable mention). The team’s top hitter thus far has been outfielder Luke Wroblewski, who is hitting .368 with a .410 on-base percentage and .632 slugging percentage.
Next Week
The Bulldogs are scheduled to play a four-game series at Dordt the weekend of March 29-30. Concordia will also have to reschedule the twin bill with eighth-ranked Doane. As of the morning of March 18, a makeup date is yet to be determined.