SEWARD, Neb. – After a bit of a break in the schedule, the 22nd-ranked Concordia University Baseball team will return to action with its final home games of the 2021 regular season. The Bulldogs are set to host Jamestown on Sunday and Morningside on Monday. In the most recent action, Concordia took three out of four from Northwestern in the series held April 15-16 in Orange City, Iowa.
This Week
(22) Concordia (29-6, 16-4) vs. Jamestown (25-15, 11-8)
Sunday, April 25 | 1 p.m. DH
Plum Creek Park | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Commentator: Frank Greene
(22) Concordia (29-6, 16-4) vs. Morningside (19-24, 11-9)
Monday, April 26 | 4 p.m. DH
Plum Creek Park | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Commentator: Frank Greene
Fan Policy: Fan attendance will not be limited at Plum Creek Park. However, fans will be required to wear masks and are encouraged to distance themselves from other family groups.
By the numbers
· Unless things get nutty down the stretch, it appears that the GPAC regular season title race will come down to Concordia and Doane, two squads with identical 16-4 conference records. The Bulldogs and Tigers have hovered close together in the standings during the entirety of GPAC play. Doane has proven to be a worthy challenger at the top of the heap. Though Concordia has been potent offensively, the Tigers actually lead the league (in GPAC games only) in batting average (.375), slugging percentage (.658) and runs per game (11.0). While the Bulldogs won GPAC regular season titles in 2017 and 2019, Doane has not placed atop the league since 2014.
· It’s just a matter of time before the program single-season home run record is surpassed. As it stands, Jesse Garcia and Joey Grabanski have both homered 11 times this season, which ties the school record also shared by Jarrod Pimentel (2000) and Tony Sanchez (1983). Grabanski’s 11 big flies are the most ever by a Concordia freshman. Another three Bulldogs have at least seven homers this season: Keaton Candor (eight), Beau Dorman (eight) and Jakob Faulk (seven). As a team, Concordia has slugged 62 homers in 2021.
· Employing his devastating stuff, Jake Fosgett recently moved past 200 strikeouts for his career (now at 214). The only other pitcher in program history to reach that milestone is Milwaukee Brewers signee Jason Munsch, who holds the school record with 281 career K’s. Nick Little (197 strikeouts) is also on the verge eclipsing 200 strikeouts. From a statistical standpoint, it could be argued that Little has enjoyed the greatest pitching career in school history. He was the 2018 GPAC Pitcher of the Year and holds current all-time school rankings of first in complete games (15), second in wins (24), second in innings pitched (220.2), third in strikeouts (197), third in ERA (3.10) and fourth in games started (33).
· The Bulldogs are a perfect 7-for-7 this season in terms of winning four-game series. Those series have been played against College of the Ozarks (three/four), Grand View University (three/four), Dickinson State University (sweep), Midland (three/four), Dordt (sweep), Briar Cliff (three/four) and Northwestern (three/four). Concordia had its chances to sweep the series at Northwestern, but wound up falling, 4-3, in 11 innings. The Bulldogs have yet to drop back-to-back games in 2021.
· Concordia is looking to reach the 30-win mark for the third time in program history. The two 30-win campaigns have both been achieved under Head Coach Ryan Dupic, who led the Bulldogs to marks of 34-22 in 2017 and 33-20 in 2019. The 34 victories remain the program standard for a single season.
The opponents
Jamestown has been a perennially strong program under the direction of Head Coach Tom Hager. Now in year three as member of the GPAC, the Jimmies got the best of Concordia in the 2019 GPAC tournament championship game. Jamestown may have been taken out of the 2021 regular season championship race when it was swept in a tripleheader by Mount Marty on April 17. The Jimmies boast a true ace pitcher in Dru Fitz, who is 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Standout Luke Shekerynk has hammered 13 home runs this season (slugging .852).
Morningside has been quite up and down this season, as its 19-24 overall record attests. Head Coach Adam Boeve’s squad is coming off a four-game split with Midland. In conference games only, the Mustangs have outscored their opponents, 127-124. One thing Morningside can’t match is Concordia’s power. The Mustangs have been out-homered, 29-19, on the season. Morningside has gotten exceptional work out of the bullpen from Quintin Holman (0.61 ERA in 14.2 innings).
Looking ahead
The regular season will conclude with road doubleheaders at Hastings (10-23, 8-12 GPAC) on April 30 and at Dakota Wesleyan (11-20, 5-15 GPAC) on May 2. The GPAC tournament will get started on May 6.