SALINA, Kan. – The Concordia University Baseball team and its potent offense hope this is the week when it finds a rhythm. The Bulldogs took advantage of soaring February temperatures around the Midwest and belted five home runs on Tuesday (Feb. 20) as part of a doubleheader sweep at 16th-ranked Kansas Wesleyan University. Concordia won by scores of 14-5 and 5-2 while Joey Grabanski became the program’s new all-time RBIs record holder and the bullpen sparkled.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad resumed the 2024 season following Sunday’s doubleheader split with William Penn University (Iowa). The record stands at 4-3 overall.
“I’m very happy with the team,” Dupic said. “We didn’t make a single error all doubleheader. We were really good defensively. I thought the pitchers threw well – their offense is exceptional. They have some big-time power hitters and are really tough to pitch to. I was really proud of our pitchers, particularly our bullpen going six-and-a-third innings with no runs. Our at bats offensively were so competitive. We had some productive at bats, even productive outs. We have to do that to win the tight games.”
Not surprisingly, the Bulldog offense remains a force. The home runs that left Dean Evans Stadium on Tuesday came from Jaidan Quinn, Alec Blakestad and Matt Rhoades in game one and then from Grabanski and Quinn in game two. While the offense kept the pressure on the Coyotes, Concordia played error-free ball defensively and got terrific work all day out of the bullpen. When KWU cut a 7-1 Bulldog lead to 7-5 in game one, Concordia responded with seven runs over the game’s final three frames while running away with it.
The Bulldogs left no doubt in game one when Rhoades singled in two runs in the sixth and Quinn struck for a two-run blast in the seventh. There were four Concordia players who notched multiple hits in game one: Jay Adams (3-for-5), Rhoades (2-for-3), Blakestad (2-for-5) and Grabanski (2-for-5). A freshman who has fit seamlessly into the lineup and at first base, Rhoades drove in four runs and pulverized his third homer already this season. The visitors paraded around the bases in game one with 12 hits, nine walks and three stolen bases.
Grabanski unloaded for his first homer of the season (and 63rd of his career) in the third inning of game two. The two-run shot pushed the Grand Forks, N.D., native past Jesse Garcia on the program’s all-time RBI list. Grabanski collected five RBIs on the day to move his school career standard to 219. Quinn also homered in the fifth and Ty Nekoliczak knocked home a run with a base hit in the sixth. The second baseman Nekoliczak went 2-for-5 in game two.
Said Dupic of Grabanski, “Joey was Joey today. His at bats were great. He had that look in his eyes today. He’s just so special. He’s an incredible, incredible hitter. I’m glad I’m not the one calling pitches to try to get him out. He’s a really special hitter and a special kid.”
Both Concordia starting pitchers had the strikeout stuff working. Caden Johnson fanned eight batters in four innings while surrendering five runs (three of which came on home runs). In game two, Caden Bugarske recorded nine strikeouts and allowed two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. In both ends of the twin bill, the bullpen did magnificent work. In the two games combined, the ‘pen covered 6.1 innings and surrendered just one hit (no runs). The relief crew included Ernie Snyder (2.0 IP) and Braxton Greenburg (1.0 IP) in game one and Qwin Zabokrtsky (1.0 IP), Greenburg (0.1 IP) and Jacob Lycan (2.0 IP) in game two. Lycan worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth and then closed out the sweep.
Kansas Wesleyan (7-4) went 44-15 last season while qualifying for the national tournament. Coyote catcher Tyler Favretto homered in both ends of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
The Bulldogs will be southbound again this weekend for a four-game neutral site series with Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). Doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday are slated to get underway at 1 p.m. CT from the LaRoche Complex in Fort Scott, Kan. The two programs met in the same location a year ago in what resulted in a four-game sweep for Concordia.