Bulldog Weekly Report (April 18)

By Jacob Knabel on Apr. 18, 2017 in Athletic Announcements

Bulldog Athletic Association Athletes of the Week

Male: Josh Prater, Baseball

Prater, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., fired 6.1 shutout innings in last week’s victory at Hastings. In the process, the senior lefty struck out 10 hitters and scattered six hits. He improved his record to 4-2 to go along with a 2.68 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 47 innings this season.

Female: Amy Ahlers, Golf

Ahlers, who hails from Albion, Neb., equaled her own school single-round record last week by carding a one-under-par 71 at the Morningside Invite. In addition, Ahlers won the invite (10th career tournament win) and broke the women’s course record at Whispering Creek Golf Club in Sioux City, Iowa.

Football ranked 20th in spring poll: Following a 7-3 campaign in 2016, the Concordia football team checked in at No. 20 in the NAIA coaches’ spring football poll released on April 10 by the NAIA. This marks the sixth-straight poll appearance for the Bulldogs, who were ranked 19th in the 2016 postseason poll. The program will be guided by first-year head coach Patrick Daberkow in 2017. He takes over for Vance Winter, who stood at the helm of Concordia football for eight seasons.

Folkerts accepts Liston Award: As part of the 2017 NAIA National Convention held in San Diego, Calif., Chandler Folkerts accepted the Emil S. Liston Award at a special awards luncheon on April 10. Folkerts delivered the opening prayer and later gave a short speech at the banquet that also featured recognition of other athletes, coaches and administrators throughout the NAIA. The Emil S. Liston award, presented by Daktronics, recognizes academic and athletic excellence by junior student-athletes in men’s and women’s basketball.

McCook transfer flourishing in second season as a Bulldog: Megan Ruppert has shined during her senior season for head coach Todd LaVelle’s softball squad. The Concordia center fielder leads the team in batting average (.407), hits (44) and runs (38). A new approach is partly to credit for the breakout season. For more on Ruppert, click HERE.

Find Bulldog gear at BulldogFanShop.com: BulldogFanShop.com is the official marketplace for Concordia Bulldogs athletic gear. For sale are many types of clothing apparel as well as drinkware, decals, collectibles and other accessories.

How to purchase Cultivating Men of Faith and Character: The book, Cultivating Men of Faith and Character: The History of Concordia Nebraska Football, remains available for purchase online HERE. For more than 90 years, the Concordia football program has cultivated men of faith and character. This journey through the program’s entire history takes a narrative, coach-by-coach approach in bringing back to life the memorable plays, players and moments in Bulldog football history. Win or lose, Christian character has guided a storied football tradition in Seward, home to the “college in the cornfield.”

Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 6 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is in its second year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the TuneIn Radio app and searching “Max Country.” Throughout the 2016-17 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country.

Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting http://www.cune.edu/csn at game time. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.

Baseball

  • Four conference games made up last week’s schedule for Concordia, which remains in the hunt for a GPAC regular-season championship. The Bulldogs saw their nine-game conference winning streak come to an end after suffering an 8-7, 13-inning home loss to Dordt in game 1 of a doubleheader on April 11. Concordia then claimed an 11-3 win over Dordt and 7-0 victory at Hastings before falling to the Broncos, 9-0. Due to poor field conditions, the scheduled home doubleheader with Hastings on April 15 was postponed. Third-year head coach Ryan Dupic’s squad now rests at 22-15 overall and at 11-5 in conference play. For more information on the Bulldog baseball program, click HERE.
  • During the GPAC era, Concordia had not previously advanced this late in the season with a first-place standing. The Bulldogs are chasing their first conference championship since the 1986 team won the NIACC title. A key member on the ’86 team was current head athletic trainer Randy Baack. The fourth-place claim by the 2016 Concordia squad marked the program’s highest finish since the GPAC formed in 2000.
  • Hastings pitcher Will Frei accomplished a difficult task by blanking the Bulldogs in a seven-inning game last week in Hastings. Prior to that defeat, Concordia went 46-straight contests without being shutout. That streak dated all the way back to April 24, 2016. Despite being held scoreless by Frei, the Bulldogs continue to rank as the GPAC’s highest scoring offense with an average of 7.3 runs per game.
  • Any way you look at it, senior third baseman Casey Berg is having a terrific season. It gets even better when breaking down his numbers by conference games only. In 16 GPAC games, Berg is hitting .433 with a .514 on-base percentage and a .733 slugging percentage. Additionally, he’s burned league pitchers for seven doubles, one triple, three home runs and 15 RBIs. The catalyst for Concordia’s prolific offense, Berg leads the GPAC with 42 runs scored.
  • Senior lefty Josh Prater turned in the top pitching performance by a Bulldog last week. In the 7-0 win over Hastings, Prater went 6.1 innings and struck out 10 Broncos while scattering six hits. In the process, Prater lowered his ERA to 2.68 over 47 innings this season. In eight starts, Prater has surrendered more than three earned runs only once. In his collegiate career, Prater has logged 161.2 innings and owns a record of 12-7 and ERA of 4.01.
  • Prater is the lone veteran in Dupic’s regular four-man rotation of starting pitchers, which has included three freshmen: Wade Council, Nick Little and Jason Munsch. Council is the team’s ERA (2.20) and wins (five) leader and has already fired three shutouts. Munsch has flashed particularly good stuff. He’s struck out 43 hitters in 36 innings and is limiting opposing batters to a .150 average.
  • Senior catcher Ryan Fesmire is enjoying a career year. He’s a key piece in regards to the success of a pitching staff that owns a 4.73 ERA (fourth in the GPAC). Fesmire has also improved considerably at the plate. He’s hitting a career best .310 with five doubles and a pair of home runs in 2017. In recent action, Fesmire went 4-for-4 with a home run and two doubles in a 7-6 win at Doane. He also enjoyed a 3-for-3 outing with a double and two RBIs in the victory at Hastings.
  • In terms of ERA, freshman right-hander Desmond Pineda has been the team’s top arm out of the bullpen. The native of Denver, Colo., was tagged with a tough-luck loss in the 13-inning defeat last week versus Dordt. In that outing, Pineda worked seven innings, struck out eight hitters and allowed only one run on three hits and three walks. Pineda has also made two starts on the mound. Over 23 innings this season, Pineda owns a 2.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts. Opposing batters are hitting .217 off of him.
  • Three home doubleheaders are listed on this week’s slate. The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Midland (31-12, 13-5 GPAC) at 5 p.m. CT today (April 18) before welcoming Briar Cliff (14-28, 7-13 GPAC) to Plum Creek Park for 1 p.m. doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday. Twelve conference games remain on the schedule for Concordia.

Softball

  • The Bulldogs were in action only once last week before taking a break for the Easter holiday. The positive vibes continued with a home doubleheader sweep of Kansas Wesleyan University, a fellow 2015 national qualifier. Concordia defeated the Coyotes by scores of 4-3 and 12-2 (five innings) while extending its winning streak to five. Fourth-year head coach Todd LaVelle’s squad is now 26-10 overall and remains 8-4 in conference play (tied for second place). For more information on the Bulldog softball program, click HERE.
  • This year’s squad has a chance to be the best yet under LaVelle. The 2017 Bulldogs own a .722 winning percentage. If that number held up, it would mark the third highest winning percentage in program history. The No. 1 spot on that list is held by the 1998 squad that went 33-10 overall. The ’05 group that went 36-19 continues to own the program record for most wins in a single season. With 26 wins at the moment, the 2017 Concordia team ranks in a tie for 11th on the school single-season list.
  • The Bulldogs have won 13 of their last 16 games. Second baseman Leah Kalkwarf has been a major force during that run. She owns an active nine-game hitting streak, during which she’s gone 15-for-30 (.500) with 10 runs scored, eight RBIs, five doubles, a triple and a home run. In the sweep of Kansas Wesleyan, Kalkwarf went a combined 3-for-5 with a triple and her first home run of the season. Over her nine-game streak, the Omaha native has raised her season batting average from .276 to .333.
  • Concordia has averaged 7.2 runs during its five-game win streak and continues to rate as one of the top offensive teams in the GPAC. Among conference teams, the Bulldogs rank second in runs per game (6.1), second in batting average (.324), second in hits per game (9.1), third in slugging percentage (.458) and third in stolen bases per game (1.08). Seven Bulldog regulars are hitting better than .300: Megan Ruppert (.407), Autumn Owens (.357), Taryn Thomas (.347), Ronee Watson (.345), Kalkwarf (.333), Michaela Woodward (.330) and Kylie Harpst (.301).
  • Woodward has been a workhorse in the circle her entire career. In game 1 of last week’s twin bill, Woodward recorded her 16th complete game of the season while picking up the 44th win of her career. Statistically, the Cortland, Neb., native is enjoying her best season in the circle. She’s now 13-7 with a 3.02 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 127.2 innings. With 471.1 career innings, Woodward is closing in on 500.
  • Kylie Harpst’s return to the lineup was a welcome sight last week. Prior to April 10, she had not started a game until March 31 due to an ankle injury. Harpst tripled in two runs in the game 1 victory and then gave Woodward’s arm a rest by throwing a five-inning complete game in the run-rule shortened second contest. A control pitcher, Harpst is 8-1 with a 2.98 ERA. She has walked only 14 hitters in 61 innings.
  • The five-game win streak has included three victories over first-place teams – one over No. 10 Morningside and two over Kansas Wesleyan, the leader in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs also hold two wins over teams that were receiving votes at the time of competition: Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.). Additionally, Concordia has had close losses against teams currently ranked No. 2 (Columbia College – Mo.) and No. 15 (University of St. Francis – Ill.).
  • The doubleheader sweep at Dakota Wesleyan on April 8 bumped LaVelle to 40 career GPAC wins. LaVelle has had his greatest conference success in the postseason (2015 GPAC tournament title and 2014 GPAC tournament runner up), but is still chasing his first GPAC regular-season title. Concordia’s highest regular-season finish under LaVelle was a tie for third in 2014.
  • Two conference doubleheaders make up this week’s slate. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play at Midland (13-19, 3-7 GPAC) today (April 18) at 5 p.m. CT. They will then host Mount Marty (10-17, 4-10 GPAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Of the remaining 10 regular-season games on the schedule, eight are against conference opponents.

Track & Field

  • For the first time this outdoor season, the Bulldogs competed in a meet that featured team scoring while taking part in last week’s (April 14) NAIA Midwest Quad hosted by Grand View University (Iowa). Concordia swept team titles, accumulating 209 points on the women’s side and 202 points on the men’s side. Bulldog athletes combined to produce a total of 11 event titles during action that took place in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information on Concordia track and field, click HERE.
  • Senior Cody Boellstorff continues to raise the bar. The three-time national champion is running away from the competition in the hammer throw after breaking his own school record last week with a toss of 216’ 6.” That figure leads the nation by exactly 10 feet. No 2 on the national hammer throw list is teammate Zach Lurz (206’ 6”). Two other Bulldogs are also qualified for nationals in the event: Philip Kreutzer (185’ 11”) and Jacob Cornelio (180’ 9”).
  • Boellstorff is not the only national event leader for Concordia. Additional No. 1 marks are held by Lurz (shot put), Kali Robb (hammer throw and shot put) and Lucas Wiechman (pole vault). Those marks helped vault the Bulldogs up the national team rankings released last week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Concordia leapt from fourth to second on the women’s side and from 13th to third on the men’s side.
  • The 11 Bulldog event titles at the NAIA Midwest Quad came from the men’s and women’s 4x800 meter relays, Boellstorff (hammer), Allie Brooks (pole vault), Sophie Hoelz (high jump), Mariah Huneke (javelin), Jacy Johnston (steeplechase), Samantha Liermann (shot put), Lurz (shot put), Sydney Meyer (hammer) and Taylor Mueller (steeplechase). Nine team points were award for first-place individual finishes.
  • Boellstorff was one of four throwers to improve their already existing national qualifying marks on April 14. The others were Kreutzer (hammer, 185’ 11”), Liermann (shot put, 46’ 8 ¾”) and Tricia Svoboda (hammer, 170’ 7”). Liermann won an event title for a women’s shot put group that held down the top five place finishes. Headed by winner Zach Lurz, the Bulldogs also took three of the top four finishes in the men’s shot put. In the men’s hammer, Boellstorff and company went 1-2-3. Concordia throwers totaled five event champions, including Huneke (javelin) and Meyer (hammer).
  • Nearly all of Concordia’s headlining performers were in action. Senior CJ Muller teamed up on the winning 4x8 and finished as a runner up in the 400 meter dash (49.12). Jack-of-all-trades Lucas Wiechman placed second in the 110 meter hurdles (14.82), fourth in the long jump and also ran legs for the 4x100 meter relay (second) and the 4x400 meter relay (fourth).
  • There were additional highlights on April 14. On the women’s side, notable personal bests were achieved by Huneke (javelin), Leah Larson (triple jump), Leah Mussell (javelin), Bethany Shaw (discus) Svoboda (hammer) and Quinn Wragge (400 meters). On the men’s side, noteworthy new personal records were set by Evan Asche (5,000 meters), Boellstorff, Nathan Elbert (javelin), Phil Grothaus (javelin), Chris Mosely-Hendricks (100 meters) and Mueller (steeplechase).
  • Concordia’s national qualifying list includes 24 automatic marks and seven ‘B’ standard marks. Both Lurz and Robb lead the field with three automatic national throwing marks apiece. Two ‘A’ marks are owned by Kreutzer, Svoboda and Wiechman.
    • Cody Boellstorff – hammer throw (A, 216’ 6”)
    • Allie Brooks – pole vault (A, 12’ 8 ¾”)
    • Jacob Cornelio – hammer throw (A, 180’ 9”); discus (B, 158’ 4”)
    • Jacy Embray – discus (A, 142’ 10”)
    • McKenzie Gravo – pole vault (A, 12’ 1 ½”)
    • Taylor Grove – half marathon (A, 1:29:28)
    • Philip Kreutzer – hammer throw (A, 185’ 11”); shot put (A, 52’)
    • Samantha Liermann – shot put (A, 46’ 8 ¾”); hammer throw (B, 164’ 8”)
    • Zach Lurz – shot put (A, 57’ 6 ½”); hammer throw (A, 206’ 6”); discus (A, 179’ 9”)
    • Sydney Meyer – hammer throw (A, 179’ 3”)
    • CJ Muller – 800 meters (A, 1:51.40)
    • Amy Migl – discus (B, 139’ 4”)
    • Johanna Ragland – hammer throw (B, 158’ 6”)
    • Tyrell Reichert – pole vault (A, 15’ 5”)
    • Kali Robb – shot put (A, 48’ ¾”); discus (A, 143’ 8”); hammer throw (A, 190’ 5”)
    • Adrianna Shaw – shot put (A, 45’ 1 ½”); hammer throw (B, 158’ 2”)
    • Carley Skorepa – discus (B, 140’ 9”)
    • Jan Steinbrueck – discus (A, 147’ 4”)
    • Tricia Svoboda – discus (A, 158’ 4”); hammer (A, 170’ 7”)
    • Lucas Wiechman – 110 hurdles (A, 14.43); pole vault (A, 16’ 7 ¼”); 400 hurdles (B, 54.17)
  • The outdoor season resumes on Friday and Saturday (April 21-22) with the Jim Dutcher Memorial hosted by Doane. The tentative event schedule can be viewed HERE. Last week Concordia announced a tentative schedule for the Concordia Twilight Meet (May 12).

Golf

  • Both Concordia golf programs are gearing up for the stretch run as the GPAC spring championships loom later this month. During last week’s action, the Bulldog men placed fourth among a 12-team field of mostly GPAC rivals at the Briar Cliff University Invite (April 12-13). While the women settled for eighth place at the Morningside Spring Invite (April 12), Amy Ahlers came through with a highlight individual performance. For more information on the Concordia golf programs: MEN | WOMEN.
  • Ahlers’ career is something to behold. At the Morningside Invite last week, she won the tournament by equaling her own single-round school record by carding a one-under-par 71 at Whispering Creek Golf Club in Sioux City, Iowa. That score also represented a course record at Whispering Creek. A native of Albion, Neb., Ahlers has won 10 tournaments during her career which includes 37 events played since the fall of 2013. She also owns 20 career top-five finishes and 30 career top-10 claims. Her current season average of 80.73 is on track to break her own school record of 80.79 set last year.
  • For the fourth time this season, the men turned in a score under 300. The Bulldogs posted an eight-over-par 296 in the first round of the Briar Cliff Invite. The next day they slipped to 314, which slid them back one spot in the team pecking order. Through 14 rounds, Concordia has a season average of 304.1. It has placed fourth or better at five of seven events in 2016-17.
  • Sophomore Nolan Zikas carded a two-round total of 72-76–148 for a ninth-place finish at the Briar Cliff Invite. Zikas has earned four top-10 finishes throughout his sophomore campaign. He also won two events last year as a freshman. His season average of 75.43 ranks No. 1 on the team. His career average through 24 rounds is 76.67.
  • Ahlers and the women’s team has improved its scores this spring. After posting a fall team average of 386.3, Concordia has carded a mean score of 364.3 through three rounds this spring. Out of 11 total rounds in 2016-17, three of their top four totals have come since the spring season began. The team’s season low is 361, achieved once in the fall and once this spring.
  • Ahlers has turned in the team’s seven lowest individual rounds this season with scores of 71, 78, 79, 80 (twice) and 81 (twice). Furthermore, Ahlers and freshman Murphy Sears have combined for Concordia’s 19 best scores on the year. Sears has been the team’s No. 2 golfer all year with a season average of 87.0.
  • The men competed on Monday as part of an eight-team match play bracket hosted by Northwestern. In the first round, Concordia suffered a 3-2 defeat versus Midland. Individual winners for the Bulldogs were Otten and Zikas. Then in the consolation bracket, Concordia fell, 4-1, to Dordt. Freshmen Tylar Samek and Tyler Knoepfel both halved with their head-to-head opponents, accounting for the one team point. The Bulldogs were scheduled to play Briar Cliff today (April 18) to finish the event.
  • Both teams have their final tune-ups this week before the GPAC spring championships (April 24-25 for the men and April 28-29 for the women). The men are in action today (April 18) as part of day two of their match play event at Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa. Meanwhile, the women are closer to home today. They action started at 10:30 a.m. CT at the Kaitlyn Erickson Invite hosted by Doane at Wilderness Ridge GC in Lincoln.

Tennis

  • It was a perfect week for the Bulldogs. The men defeated both Midland and Mount Marty while the women also toppled Mount Marty. The women’s tennis match that had been scheduled for April 12 with Midland was postponed until April 21 due to inclement weather. Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s men’s team is now 7-10 (2-2 GPAC) while the women are 6-11 (1-3 GPAC). For more on the Concordia tennis programs: MEN | WOMEN.
  • The Bulldog men were dominant in singles play last week, taking 10 of 12 matches over the two team victories. On the year, the Concordia men are 50-52 in singles play and 22-29 in doubles. Sophomore Gabe Poling (14-2) is the team’s singles wins leader. Following behind him are Thomas Greeff (8-9), Lucas Zoller (8-9) and Javier Moreno (7-6). The combo of Moreno and Poling is 10-2 in doubles matches.
  • On the women’s side, Concordia sits at 48-54 in singles and 22-29 in doubles. Junior Annie Horn has her nine-match win streak still intact. She tops the Bulldogs with an 11-4 singles mark. Next in line are Katie Hertz (7-9), Kayla Smock (6-7) and Kirsten Wagner (6-8). In doubles action, Horn and Wagner have teamed up for a 7-7 record (best on the team).
  • Poling has won five matches in a row as part of his impressive sophomore campaign. The native of Chillicothe, Mo., is 2-0 at the No. 3 spot, 10-2 at No. 4 and 2-0 at No. 5. Poling has run his career singles record to 26-9 on the heels of a 12-7 record as a freshman. Poling is a perfect 4-0 against GPAC opponents.
  • Both squads appear to be looking at possible middle-of-the-pack finishes in the GPAC. The men have just a single conference match remaining (vs. Hastings on April 25). Meanwhile, the women still have Midland, Northwestern and Hastings left on the GPAC regular-season schedule. Up this week for the men are neutral nonconference matches against NCAA Division III members Wartburg College (Iowa) and Buena Vista University (Iowa), both on Saturday. The women will play at Midland on Friday and then take on Northwestern in Omaha on Saturday. The GPAC tournament is looming May 5-6.