SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs would much prefer the wind blow in the opposite direction. No matter, the 17th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team simply relied upon superior pitching and defense on Monday (April 7) while sweeping a home doubleheader from Hastings, 4-1 and 3-1. Starting hurlers Christian Gutierrez and Micah Sweeton combined to allow just a single run in masterful performances on a chilly but sun-soaked afternoon not conducive to offensive firepower.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has moved to 26-8 overall (14-2 GPAC) on the strength of an 11-game winning streak. The Bulldogs are 6-0 at Plum Creek Park.
“It was about like we expected. It was a little bit colder day and the wind was blowing in a little bit,” Dupic said. “Their guys did a good job mixing things up. I was proud of our guys. I thought our pitchers did a good job and we played pretty well defensively. There were a couple mishaps there. Jaidan Quinn was really good at third base and we threw strikes when we needed to. This time of year, you just have to find ways to get the job done. Our guys did that today. It’s not ideal conditions for either team offensively.”
It was a day for keeping an eye on the Concordia record books. A reliable veteran right-hander, Gutierrez made his 38th career start on Monday and became the program’s all-time innings pitched leader (259.1) while pulling even with Nick Little as the Bulldogs’ all-time winningest pitcher (27 career wins). Gutierrez reached those totals while using his signature pinpoint control and change of speeds. In his latest outing, the senior from La Mirada, Calif., fired a seven-inning complete game with a single run allowed on four hits and one walk. He punched out eight Broncos while throwing only 72 pitches (55 for strikes).
The Bulldogs did manage to homer twice on Monday, but they aren’t solely a team of sluggers. Zackery Day helped drive home that point in swiping three steals on the day, making him the program’s all-time leading base stealer. His 70 steals eclipsed the former standard of 69 by Jerry Dittenber. Day accomplished the feat on his 21st birthday.
Offensively, Concordia scratched out enough offense thanks to the contributions of several familiar standouts. In game one, Ty Nekoliczak singled and scored in the first and then doubled home a run in the third. Jaidan Quinn traded places with Nekoliczak for an RBI double of his own. In the fourth, Matt Rhoades added insurance with a solo homer (11th of the season) to right center. In game two, Jimmy Blumberg knocked in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Jaeden Jordahl homered (sixth of the season) off the top of the fence in left, extending the lead to 3-0.
The freshman Sweeton logged five shutout innings in game two as he worked around four hits and three walks. He moved to 5-1 while notching eight strikeouts. Dupic then called upon Seth Claybourne, Alex Griess and Daiten Schmidt out of the bullpen. Schmidt recorded the final out for his seventh save of the season (and third in two days).
The importance of Gutierrez to the program has not been lost on Dupic. He’s watched Gutierrez frustrate opponents time and time again over the past four seasons.
Said Dupic of Gutierrez, “He’s one of those guys that because he’s not always so flashy, he probably doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves. I don’t know where this program would be without him. From pitching in regionals and big games for us – conference title game last year – and being an all-conference guy a year ago. He takes the ball, he throws strikes and he finds a way to get the job done. He’s a winner. Great competitor. Terrific kid.”
Said Gutierrez in reacting to his rise up the program’s all-time lists, “When I think about wins and innings, I’m able to be out there for a long period of time in games, meaning we probably score a bunch of runs. That makes me happy. I’ve got hitters I can lean on to put up runs so I can keep going out there, and I’ve got a bullpen that can shut it down. It’s pretty cool. We’ve all got each other.”
On another statistical note, the All-American Quinn moved into a tie for No. 5 on the program’s all-time hits list with 234 for his career. Though he did not homer on Monday (remaining at 88 homers for his career), Quinn enjoyed a productive day that saw him go 2-for-4 with two walks. He also made a highlight-reel diving stab and throw to first in support of Gutierrez in game one. Nekoliczak is now No. 4 on the hits list with 235.
Hastings (7-23, 4-12 GPAC) avoided the shutout in game two when Elijah Merritt singled in a run with two outs in the seventh. The Broncos got solid results from their bullpen on Monday. However, they have now lost 13-straight series matchups with Concordia.
The final four road games of the regular season are coming up this weekend. The Bulldogs will be in Yankton, S.D., for a doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on both days. Mount Marty ran its league record to 8-8 (19-13 overall) while taking three of four from Dakota Wesleyan over the weekend.