LINCOLN, Neb. – The baseball teams from Concordia University, Nebraska and Clarke University (Iowa) are about to get real familiar with one another. The two clubs met for a doubleheader in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday (Feb. 14) as part of a revised weekend slate. After falling short in their comeback attempt in a 4-3 loss to the Pride in game one, the 16th-ranked Bulldogs responded with an 11-0, run-rule shortened rout in game two. Bronx Lewis punctuated the day with a three-run blast to enact the run rule in the day’s capper.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad is in the midst of its second weekend of action this 2026 season. Warm weather in the area brought Concordia closer to home than originally scheduled.
“I didn’t think we played well that first game,” Dupic said. “They deserved to win. We struggled to score a little bit and I wasn’t super pleased with the way we gave up runs. I thought we could have done a better job keeping ourselves in the ballgame. We fought back, but it was just a little bit too big of a hole there. Second game was really good. The biggest difference was our pitchers in game two worked with such great tempo and pounded the strike zone. Alex (Johnson) and Sam Bespoyasny both pitched great, and we executed a few more swings as opposed to game one.”
The Bulldogs actually went hitless through the day’s first five innings as Clarke starter Kevin Toala worked around six walks while remaining unscathed. The Pride built a 4-0 lead at the conclusion of six innings. Finally, Concordia mustered a rally in the bottom of the seventh as an RBI apiece came from Jack Hirchert (HBP), Carson Burnett (bases loaded walk) and Jake Tyler (single). With the bags full, Clarke pitcher Hayden Vickroy struck out Alex Draper to preserve the one-run victory.
The patient approach of the Bulldogs won out in game two. Concordia batsmen drew nine walks and collected eight hits while parading around the bases. Hirchert knocked in four runs via a two-run single in the first and two-run double in the sixth. As part of his two-hit, two-walk performance at the top of the lineup, Lewis went deep and stole a base. Third baseman Jimmy Blumberg also added two hits and a run while DH Andrew Fetty went 1-for-1 with three walks in the win. Lewis and Jaeden Jordahl combined to score seven runs out of the top two spots in the order.
Game two saw the season debut of reigning GPAC Pitcher of the Year Alex Johnson. He was dominant in three innings of work as he fanned seven hitters and surrendered just two baserunners (one on an error). Transfer Sam Bespoyasny then covered the final four innings and allowed only two hits and a walk to go with five K’s. Bespoyasny picked up his second win already this season.
Said Dupic of Johnson, who did not throw during the team’s opening weekend in Oklahoma City, “I think he’s totally fine, but we’re playing it cautious and making sure we do it right. It felt incredible having him on the mound. Everyone knows he’s our guy. It just feels different when he’s out there. He was super sharp and really set the tone for the game.”
The pitching was solid in game one. Caden Bugarske limited the damage to one run on two hits and a walk (three strikeouts) in his three innings. Brody Smearer then went 2.1 innings (3 ER) in relief before giving way to Alex Griess for 1.2 innings. Toala (five scoreless innings) got the win on the other side for Clarke (3-3).
Offensively, Hirchert and Lewis collected three hits apiece on the day. Hirchert drove in five runs. Fetty drew six of the team’s 18 walks. Meanwhile, the Pride walked only three times.
The same two sides will meet again on Sunday at Den Hartog Field. First pitch of Sunday’s doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. CT. Live statistics can be found via the NAIA Presto Stats site: https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/scoreboard.