SEWARD, Neb. – The 2024 Concordia University Baseball team always believes it will eventually wear its opponent down. It took some patience, but that happened on Saturday (May 4) night as the Bulldogs celebrated a berth in the GPAC tournament final for the fifth-straight year and for the sixth time in seven seasons. Top-seeded Concordia toppled fifth-seeded Midland, 9-1, in the “if necessary” game of the Concordia Bracket. Two-time First Team All-GPAC hurler Caden Johnson fired seven shutout innings in the deciding game, leading the Bulldogs to a rebound performance after a 7-5 defeat in Saturday’s first contest.
This type of success is all anyone within the program has ever known. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s outfit emerged with another significant achievement in reaching the 40-win mark for the fourth-straight season – now 40-13 overall.
“We don’t take it for granted – I know I don’t take it for granted,” Dupic said. “In a sport like baseball where things change a lot and it’s more of a skill-based game where everybody wins some and everybody loses some, it’s really hard to go on a run like that. It’s pretty special. It’s a tremendous opportunity for our guys to play in big games and feel those experiences. It speaks very well to this class and this group of guys who have been through it. They’ve played in championship games every year, and I’m really grateful they have the opportunity to do that.”
The starting pitchers for Midland on Saturday, Lucas Hamzeh and Jay Lambert, did a commendable job of keeping the powerful Concordia lineup in check. The Bulldogs enjoyed only modest success in stringing hits together until the latter stages of the night’s second game. The contest’s first tally did not come until the sixth inning when Matt Rhoades drove a sacrifice fly to center. Jose Cevallos also came through with a clutch pinch-hit RBI single to help open the floodgates.
Most of the tension that was felt throughout Plum Creek Park was relieved in the eighth when Concordia struck for five runs. Jay Adams singled in a pair, Alec Blakestad drove in another with a base hit and Alex Draper came off the bench to supply an RBI double. The seven Bulldog hits in game two were spread amongst seven players. Concordia taxed Warrior pitching by drawing eight walks and four hit-by-pitches in the victory.
Johnson (25th career pitching win) did not need much support. The Papillion, Neb., native sharpened his game after getting out of jams in the second and third innings (combined five runners left on base). Johnson struck out the side in the sixth inning and departed after throwing 117 pitches in seven masterful innings.
Johnson is one of the fifth-year seniors that will get another shot at winning a GPAC tournament title. Said Johnson, “It’s amazing. We’re blessed to have had such successful seasons. I know nothing else. These new guys coming in are seeing that success, and it’s just an awesome experience.”
Seven Bulldog pitchers were used on the day. Rhoades started game one and was lifted after facing 13 batters (2 IP). The combination of Cameron Pickens (3 IP), Qwin Zabokrtsky (2.1 IP) and Ernie Snyder (0.2 IP) allowed two runs over six innings out of the bullpen. In the game two win, Jacob Lycan recorded five outs and Maverick Wylder entered the contest and struck out the only batter he faced.
At the top of the lineup, Adams drove in four runs on the day. He sliced a two-run homer to right in the third inning of game one for his 44th career blast. It was the only Bulldog homer of the day, though two long flies were brought back by the Midland center fielder, robbing potential home runs from Rhoades and Jaidan Quinn. Through it all, Concordia remained unfazed as it has throughout its run of GPAC championship contention.
Said Dupic, “We had good composure, I thought. Guys were pretty even keeled after the first game. I thought we were really close in the first game. There were a couple plays we didn’t quite get. They did a nice job getting some big two-out hits and scratched some runs across. They’ve got a good ballclub. They’re playing really well. The second game we got a really good start and that allowed us to get our offense going.”
Midland ends its season at 33-19 overall. The Warriors went 2-2 at the GPAC tournament with a win apiece over Mount Marty and Concordia. The losses both came at the hands of the Bulldogs, 8-3 and 9-1. Concordia won five of the seven matchups this season.
Under Dupic, the Bulldogs also reached the GPAC tournament final in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. They won championships in 2021 and 2022. In the 2024 championship game, Concordia will host Doane (38-12) at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The Tigers also played an “if necessary” game on Saturday and defeated Jamestown, 11-4.
2024 GPAC Tournament – Concordia Bracket
--Full Bracket
May 2-4, 7 | Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
--Live Webcasts
--Live Stats
Thursday, May 2
Game 1 – (5) Midland def. (4) Briar Cliff, 12-10
Game 2 – (1) Concordia def. (8) Mount Marty, 10-9 (11 inn.)
Friday, May 3
Game 3 – (1) Concordia def. (5) Midland, 8-3
Game 4 – (8) Mount Marty def. (4) Briar Cliff, 9-8
Game 5 – (5) Midland def. (8) Mount Marty, 10-4
Saturday, May 4
Game 6 – (5) Midland def. (1) Concordia, 7-5
Game 7 – (1) Concordia def. (5) Midland, 9-1
Tuesday, May 7
GPAC Championship – (1) Concordia vs. (2) Doane, 6 p.m.