Bulldog Baseball Goes 4-0 on the Weekend

by Garrett Suchanek

Updated on 4/12/16 at 7:11 p.m.

The Concordia baseball team capped off a perfect weekend by sweeping Mount Marty on Sunday. The Bulldogs swept Dordt College on Saturday by scores of 14-3 and 15-3 and then turned around Sunday and defeated Mount Marty 1-0 and 17-0.

The Bulldogs are now 20-17 overall and 6-2 in GPAC. Concordia now sits atop the GPAC standings in a tie for first place with Midland University and Northwestern College.

In game one on Saturday, Concordia senior starting pitcher Mark Harris threw a complete game, struck out seven and only gave up three earned runs. “It was our defense all day,” said Harris. “That’s what got me through, knowing our defenders are that good and they’ve got my back.”

The Bulldogs blew the game open with an eight-run fifth inning and won the game 14-3.

In game two, Concordia’s starting pitcher came out strong again. This time, sophomore Cole Jackson threw a complete game, allowing three earned runs and striking seven out. Even with a strong performance, Jackson knows this is a team sport.

“Everyone contributed,” said Jackson. “A lot of big time at-bats and a lot of good small ball team at-bats. It was a good team effort.”

Every Concordia starter found their way on base with either a base hit or earning a walk and the Bulldogs won 15-3.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs continued to have solid pitching. In game one, the Bulldogs blanked the Mount Marty Lancers and had two pitchers combine for a no-hitter. Freshmen Ben Kruse and Josue Melchor combined to throw seven innings and allowed no hits while striking a total of five Lancers out. Kruse went five innings and picked up the win, while Melchor pitched the final two innings and earned his third save of the year.

“He’s (Kruse) done a nice job,” said coach Ryan Dupic. “He’s worked really hard.”

The lone run of the game came in the first inning when junior Christian Montero came up with an RBI double to score senior Alex Alstott and to get the 1-0 win.

In the final game of the weekend, the Bulldogs’ bats woke up. Concordia scored in four innings and totaled 17 runs on 12 hits. The Bulldogs scored four in the second, seven in the third, four in the fifth and two in the sixth inning.

Dupic thought the first game gave the Bulldogs momentum to complete the sweep.

“It was positive to get that first win and after that I think our guys settled in and had some really good at-bats,” said Dupic.

Sophomore Taylor Bickel got the start for the Bulldogs and went four innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. The Bulldogs finished the game by using a committee of pitchers. Freshmen Jared Schipper and John Mellen each went an inning, while junior Todd Oberthien closed out the final inning of play. Schipper, Mellen and Oberthien combined for three innings of work, allowed no hits and combined for two strikeouts.

The Bulldogs will take a step outside of conference play when they travel to Omaha for a matchup with Grace University on Wednesday, April 13. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.