JOPLIN, Mo. – After wiping away its scheduled Saturday games, the Concordia University Baseball team resumed the 2024 season with a neutral site doubleheader versus William Penn University (Iowa) on Sunday (Feb. 18). As a major highlight of the day, fifth-year Bulldog Jay Adams became the program’s all-time hits leader while Concordia split with the Statesmen in Joplin, Mo. The Bulldogs got two solid pitching performances in what amounted to a 3-2 loss and then an 11-2 victory.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad stands at 2-3 on the young season. The journey so far has included stops in Oklahoma City and Joplin.
“Looking at the doubleheader as a whole, we got two pretty good starts from Christian Gutierrez and Blake Benson,” Dupic said. “They both threw the ball really well, and Brad Hallock had a really good day. Jaidan Quinn had a bases-clearing double that broke the game open in game two. We gave Jay the game ball for breaking the all-time hits record. We played okay today. We’re still trying to put everything together. I think we’re on the right track, but we still have more work to do.”
The Waverly High School product Adams entered the day needing two hits to surpass Jesse Garcia (270 career hits) for the most in the history of the program. Adams moved to the top of the list during the game two victory. He also owns the school career standard for runs scored and has batted better than .350 in nearly 200 career collegiate games. Adams has been front and center for the most successful stretch Concordia Baseball has ever enjoyed. He keeps adding to a resume that includes three First Team All-GPAC awards.
Said Dupic, “It feels like we’ve broken a lot of records the past few years and Jay Adams breaking the hits record is pretty special. He’s been an incredible player for us and truly one of the best hitters in our school’s history. It’s a little reflective for me. I care for that kid a ton. He’s been really good and has been such a great hitter from the day he showed up on campus. It was a cool accomplishment for him to have and for our guys to share with him.”
In the opening contest on Sunday, righty Christian Gutierrez (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) worked into the sixth while give Concordia a shot. In game two, lefty Blake Benson surrendered just one hit and struck out nine batters in six innings. Four hurlers pitched out of the bullpen on Sunday with Ernie Snyder, Nate Weaver and Maverick Wylder combined for 2.2 scoreless innings.
At the plate, the Carrollton, Texas, native Hallock continues to scald the baseball. He posted four hits while driving in two runs on Sunday. Eight Bulldogs collected multiple hits on the day, including three apiece from Alec Blakestad, Ty Nekoliczak and Quinn. The three-run double for Quinn came as part of a seventh-run seventh inning in game two. Matthew Rhoades also notched two hits and drove in three runs. Joey Grabanski remains three RBIs away from breaking another program all-time record currently owned by Garcia.
William Penn stands at 2-5 this season. The Statesmen braved chilly temperatures in Joplin on Saturday and dropped an 8-3 decision to another GPAC foe in Northwestern. In Sunday’s first game, Abel Madueno earned the win while pitching five solid frames that saw him work around six hits and four walks.
The Bulldogs will be back on the road on Tuesday for a doubleheader at Kansas Wesleyan University (5-1). First pitch from Salina, Kan., is set for 2 p.m. CT. The Coyotes finished the 2023 season at 44-15 and appeared in the opening round of the NAIA national tournament.