*Box scores not currently available
SABETHA, Kan. – A layoff in the schedule failed to derail the Concordia University baseball pitching duo of Nick Little and Jason Munsch. Little tossed a seven-inning no-hitter while Munsch came up just one out shy of his own no-hitter. Their dominance on the mound highlighted a doubleheader sweep of Waldorf University (Iowa) on Saturday (Feb. 29) at a neutral field in Sabetha, Kan. The Bulldogs won both ends of the twin bill by identical 10-0 scores.
Sixth-year head coach Ryan Dupic’s squad had last played on Feb. 11. Concordia has moved to 6-2 overall this season.
“I’m very proud of them. They were both really good,” Dupic said of the one-two punch of Little and Munsch. “When you’re off for that long sometimes you can lose touch, but they had excellent command, were executing their pitches well and mixing their pitches well. They obviously did a really nice job.”
According to available records, Little’s no-hitter is the first by a Bulldog pitcher since Keith Doehrmann accomplished that feat in 1979. Concordia hurlers Ben Kruse and Josue Melchor did manage to combine for a no-hitter in 2016. Now Little adds his name to the record books.
The right-hander from Lithia, Fla., struck out 10 Warriors and allowed just one walk over his masterful seven innings in game two. In the opener on Saturday, the senior lefty Munsch fanned 14 hitters and walked three batters. The lone hit surrendered by Munsch came with two outs in the seventh inning. Little and Munsch have given up just one combined earned run so far this season.
Dupic also liked the way his lineup drove the ball. In game one, Jakob Faulk collected four hits (two doubles), Jesse Garcia doubled and homered, Jayden Adams drilled two doubles and Wade Council returned to the lineup to supply a pair of hits (one double). In game two, Keaton Candor blasted a homer as one of his two hits and Garcia connected for another home run.
“It was nice to see us driving the baseball better,” Dupic said. “We had been playing in some cold and windy conditions before today, so we weren’t freaking out but today we were much better at driving the ball. Up and down the lineup we had guys doing really good things.”
Concordia and Waldorf will complete a weekend four-game series on Sunday with first pitch of the doubleheader coming up at 12 p.m. CT. The contests will again be held at Wilber Bestwick Park in Sabetha. The Warriors are a member of the North Star Athletic Association and are located in Forest City, Iowa.