Bulldog baseball wins two 14-0 games against William Penn and Dickinson State in weekend series
Junior pitcher Ernie Snyder (36) making a pitch (photo from previous game).
Photo credit: Josiah Seabaugh
By Cohen Carpenter
Concordia dominated a pair of out-of-state foes, Dickinson State University and William Penn University, winning both matches 14-0 to wrap up a weekend series in Kansas City this past Saturday.
The 28-0 collective onslaught followed a pair of Friday afternoon games in which Concordia split, besting Dickinson State in a 2-1 pitchers’ duel but dropping a 13-8 shootout versus William Penn. The two wins Saturday mark the Bulldog’s seventh and eighth on the season, as Concordia marches onward through the early non-conference schedule.
Game one in the Homefield Baseball Complex came versus the Dickinson State Bluehawks. On the bump for the Bulldogs was freshman Micah Sweeton. The California native was looking to build off an impressive start his last time out in which he went 4.2 innings, striking out three while not allowing an earned run against the Jimmies on February 24. Nevertheless, Sweeton was still fishing for his first win of the year versus the Bluehawks.
Supporting the freshman on the mound was an offense that has put up some crooked numbers this season, having scored 10 or more runs in six of their 11 games so far. Headlining this production featuring second basemen Ty Nekoliczak, a senior who is the newest inductee in the Bulldogs’ 200 hit club, third baseman Jaidan Quinn, a senior fresh off a 2024 Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Year award and left fielder Jaeden Jordahl batting .412 and leading the team in steals.
With this in mind, perhaps it isn’t surprising that the bats were just as effective as the pitching on Saturday’s first game. Sweeton did in fact earn his first win of the year, going 6.0 innings against the Blue Hawks, only allowing three baserunners while striking out 11—a season high. At the plate, the Bulldogs boasted 14 hits and nine walks highlighted by three home runs.
Specifically, senior Bradley Hallock found the most success versus the Blue Hawk pitching. The native Texan, who had designated hitter duties for the day, went 4-5 with three RBIs, including a fifth-inning solo homer. Joining him in going yard was the aforementioned Nekoliczak and junior centerfielder Bronx Lewis. All in all, Concordia’s 14 runs featured nine RBIs from six Bulldogs—with Lewis leading the way at five.
The second game included different opponent but the same story. Senior Braxton Greenburg was also searching for his first season win going into Saturday’s action, having also pitched in a no-decision in a February 23 bout with the Jimmies. This go-around, Greenburg found what he was looking for, going six innings, allowing just six baserunners while striking out four – more than good enough for the win.
Once again however, the bats stole the show, as the Bulldogs cobbled together 11 hits, five walks, plating 14 against the Statesmen in game two. Jaidan Quinn led the way in this outing, with the preseason All-American going 3-4, with three RBIs featuring a homer in the third. Joining him in taking the scenic route around the bases were senior catcher Tanner Tompkins with his first inning long ball and sophomore first baseman Matthew Rhodes going yard in the third.
The weekend in Kansas City saw the Bulldogs go 3-1, improving their record to 8-3 overall. Specifically on Saturday, while the offensive output for the Bulldogs is encouraging, so is the origin of that output. Concordia saw 14 different batters reach base with all six home runs coming from different hitters.
The Bulldogs will be back in action later this week, with the first game of a four-game set versus Southeastern University coming at 5 p.m. on March 6. Following game one, games two and three will be of the double-header variety on Friday with the final matchup on Saturday.
