SEWARD, Neb. – Upon its return from Florida, Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball will quickly set its sights on the start of conference play. The 18th-ranked Bulldogs will welcome Mount Marty to Nebraska for a four-game set that will be played in both Lincoln and Seward on Friday-Saturday. The series was moved up one day due to cold forecasted temperatures on Sunday. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad will take a 12-8 overall record into the first pitch of 2026 league play.
This Week
Friday, March 13 vs. Mount Marty (9-11, 0-0 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Stats: G1 | G2 | Location: Sandhills Global Complex (Lincoln, Neb.)
Saturday, March 14 vs. Mount Marty (9-11, 0-0 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats: G1 | G2 | Location: Plum Creek Park (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
• The NAIA released the first regular season coaches’ poll on March 4, prior to the start of Concordia’s stay in Florida. The Bulldogs landed at No. 18 in the poll, a two-spot drop compared to the preseason national poll. The first RPI (ratings percentage index) will be unveiled on March 23. In the Massey Ratings, Concordia stands at No. 36 in the NAIA (strength of schedule rated 72nd).
• The competition stiffened in Florida (March 5-9) as the Bulldogs played four games on the home field of No. 17 St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens) before taking on Mayville State University (N.D.) in a doubleheader in Winter Haven, Fla. The streaking Bobcats of The Sun Conference swept the series, winning by scores of 15-3, 11-2, 8-4 and 12-8. Concordia then split with the Comets (8-4 loss / 6-4 win) as part of the RussMatt Invitational. Over the six games in Florida, the Bulldog offense slashed .241/.384/.391 with 15 extra-base hits (five home runs). Meanwhile, Concordia pitching struggled in posting a 10.98 ERA with 58 runs allowed on 64 hits and 30 walks in 41 innings. The Bulldog defense was solid with 11 errors committed (.936 fielding percentage) over the six games.
• Center fielder Bronx Lewis helped ensure that Concordia did not come away empty-handed from Florida. The senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, belted a two-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the fifth in the final game of the road trip, lifting the Bulldogs to a 6-4 victory. An Honorable Mention All-GPAC award winner in 2025, Lewis has already surpassed his home run total from his first season at Concordia. His eight home runs currently lead all GPAC players. Through 20 games this season, Lewis is slashing .273/.415/.697. He’s also driven in 20 runs (fifth most in the GPAC) and has stolen seven bases.
• The revamped Concordia lineup has produced 145 runs in 20 games while slashing .268/.402/.483. In addition to Lewis, some of the Bulldogs’ most productive offensive players thus far have been Jake Watson (.415/.467/.732, 3 HR, 14 RBIs), Jaeden Jordahl (.365/.506/.603, 4 HR, 17 RBIs), Andrew Fetty (.333/.475/.524, 2 HR, 12 RBIs), Luke Wilson (.326/.388/.558, 2 HR, 12 RBIs) and Carson Burnett (.279/.508/.581, 4 HR, 15 RBIs). Jordahl has picked up where he left off last season while making the transition to second base in 2026. Also noteworthy, Zackery Day stole four bases in the win over Mayville State and has pushed his program career stolen base record to 95 (13 this season).
• The pitching staff will attempt to regroup after a tough series at St. Thomas. Over the course of the Florida trip, the best results were turned in by freshman Trent Schlim, who made two relief appearances and allowed just one run on five hits and a walk (seven strikeouts). Schlim picked up the win in the second game versus Mayville State. On the season, starter Sam Bespoyasny has logged the most innings (22) while sporting a 3-1 record and 2.86 ERA. Staff ace Alex Johnson has surrendered a combined nine runs over his past two starts. Johnson has pushed his career strikeout total to 236 (fifth most in program history). Concordia hopes to soon see the return of Micah Sweeton, who threw six shutout innings with 11 strikeouts in his start versus Clarke University (Iowa) on Feb. 15.
• The Bulldogs dominated the GPAC regular season last season as they went 25-3 in league play and finished a full six games in front of second-place Morningside. Concordia outright won or shared GPAC regular season titles in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2025. The Bulldogs have won at least 20 conference regular season games in each of the past six full seasons (2020 cut short by COVID-19). Had the 2020 season gone as scheduled, Concordia was expected to contend for the GPAC title behind eventual MLB organizational signee Jason Munsch.
• Ryan Dupic is in his 12th season as Head Coach of the Bulldogs. His career record stands at 376-194-1. His resume includes a combined eight GPAC championships and seven national tournament appearances (including a 2021 NAIA World Series berth). Ben Berg is in his third season as Assistant Head Baseball Coach after a successful run as a Bulldog student-athlete. The staff also includes graduate assistants Ty Nekoliczak and Blaine Harpenau.
The opponent
Mount Marty placed seventh in the 2025 GPAC standings (12-16 GPAC record) and then made a run to the GPAC Championship Game. The Lancers came up one win shy of a national tournament berth as they were defeated by Briar Cliff, 6-5, in the title game. Now 9-11 overall in 2026, Mount Marty was picked fifth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll. Head Coach Josh Teichroew’s squad returned All-GPAC players in outfielder Jalen Owens (first team), second baseman Daniel Vonnegut (second team), utility player Joe Gokie and pitcher Palmer Jacobs (honorable mention). In the nonconference season, the Lancers have been wreaking havoc on the bases. Their 90 stolen bases lead the GPAC and rank fifth nationally. Four of the top five base stealers in the GPAC are Lancers. Mount Marty’s Tyler Vance paces the league in RBIs (29) while Owens tops the GPAC in stolen bases (20). Vance is hitting .426 as part of his hot start. On the mound, Kaden Harris has logged the most innings (18.1) and sports a 3.44 ERA and 8.35 K/9 rate. In last season’s Concordia-Mount Marty series in Yankton, the Bulldogs took three of four.
Next week
Conference play will continue next week as rivals Concordia and Doane meet for a four-game series to be played on March 20 and 22 (first pitch at 1 p.m. CT on both days). The first doubleheader is scheduled to be played at Sherman Field in Lincoln before action shifts to Plum Creek Park for the second doubleheader.