SEWARD, Neb. – The turnaround will be a quick one after the Concordia University baseball team just completed its season-opening four-game series at McPherson College (Kan.). The Bulldogs are looking forward to playing three more opponents who hail from the state of Kansas during this week’s action. Those foes include Sterling College, the University of Saint Mary and Benedictine College.
This Week
*Note: all games Feb. 15-16 will be at Laughlin Field in Atchison, Kan.; for live updates, check out @cunebulldogs on Twitter during games.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Sterling (4-3), 12 p.m. (DH)
Saturday, Feb. 15 vs. Saint Mary (0-4), 12:30 p.m. (1)
Saturday, Feb. 15 at Benedictine (4-3), 3 p.m. (1)
Sunday, Feb. 16 at Benedictine (4-3), 12 p.m. (1)
Sunday, Feb. 16 vs. Saint Mary (0-4), 2:30 p.m. (1)
Head coach Ryan Dupic’s squad started 2020 off strong by taking three of four games over the weekend series at McPherson. Concordia got strong pitching performances from Jason Munsch (game one) and Nick Little (game two) and then won a wild fourth game, 20-12. In the series finale, the Bulldogs equaled a school record for number of runs scored in an inning by plating 16 runs in the top of the 16th. During that frame, Concordia notched seven walks, five hits, four hit-by-pitches and took advantage of three McPherson errors.
The pitching staff may not be as deep as what the Bulldogs had in 2019, but the duo of Munsch and Little looks strong at the top of the rotation. In the season opener, the hard throwing lefty Munsch threw five innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out nine. The next day, Little covered 6.1 innings, allowed one earned run, six hits, one walk and fanned 11 hitters. Concordia mixed and matched in the other two contests that turned into high scoring affairs. The only loss on the weekend came by a 14-11 final score.
At the plate, first baseman Evan Bohman enjoyed a monster weekend that saw him reach base 12 times (seven hits, four walks, one HBP) and drive in eight runs. Meanwhile, Jayden Adams, Keaton Candor and Thomas Sautel collected four hits apiece during the series. Adams made his Concordia debut – as did Jakob Faulk. Both Adams and Faulk earned playing time as starters on the left side of the infield. The Bulldogs also bring back 2019 all-conference performers in Wade Council and Jesse Garcia.
The location for Tuesday’s twin bill will be SC Baseball Field in Sterling, Kan. Game time temperature is forecasted to be around 40 degrees. The Warriors are coming off a weekend in which they take three of four from Missouri Valley College. Sterling and Saint Mary are both members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and Benedictine resides in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Saint Mary is 0-4 with all four losses coming against Science & Arts (Okla.) while Benedictine just won four in a row over Southwestern College.
Concordia has another hectic weekend scheduled for Feb. 22-23 when it will be in Joplin, Mo., to face four different nonconference opponents.