Offence lifts Concorida to the GPAC Championship game

Photo Credit: Maximus Frische

Story by Keith Siek 

Concordia advanced to the Great Plains Athletic Conference championship game after three straight wins from April 29 through May 1 in the pod-playoff action at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Bulldogs opened their playoff run with a 4-1 victory over Mount Marty and recorded dominant wins over Dakota Wesleyan, 12-1 and 14-5, to earn a spot in the championship game. 

After a low-scoring game against Mount Marty, Concordia’s bats heated up and overpowered Dakota Wesleyan pitching, putting up 23 hits and 24 runs in two games. The Bulldogs combined for seven doubles and four home runs to eliminate the Tigers and continue their playoff run.

Sophomore Jake Watson pounded Dakota Wesleyan’s pitching, recording nine RBIs in two games against the Tigers. Watson knocked in three Concordia base runners in game one against the Tigers and exploded for six RBIs with two doubles to fuel Concordia’s 14-run performance in the second match.

Junior Carson Burnett blasted a sixth-inning grand slam to put the Bulldogs up 11-0 in the first game against Wesleyan. Burnett tallied three RBIs, a double, and a home the second day, facing Dakota Wesleyan pitching. 

Senior Bronx Lewis produced at the plate all week long, logging a pair of two-hit games highlighted by two home runs and a double. Lewis opened Concordia’s scoring with a solo home run in the first at-bat of the Bulldog’s win over Mount Marty. Lewis knocked in his second home run in tournament play to extend Concordia’s lead over Dakota Wesleyan 5-0 in the top of the fifth. 

At catcher for every game of the tournament, junior Luke Wilson recorded two RBIs in Concordia’s opening game against Mount Marty and drove a two RBI home run against Wesleyan to put the Bulldogs up 4-0 the following day.

Bulldogs’ pitching paved the way to victory against Mount Marty, recording 11 strikeouts against a pair of walks. Junior DJ Anderson faced 15 batters and struck out seven in four innings of relief. Sophomore Harrison Hoiekvam earned the win against Mount Marty, pitching two and one-third innings.

Sophomore Micah Sweeton took the mound in Concordia’s first game against Dakota Wesleyan and silenced the Tigers’ offence, accumulating 14 strikeouts in his complete-game performance. Sweeton gave up a single run in the sixth inning after the game was out of reach for Dakota Wesleyan. In seven innings of work, Sweeton gave up six hits and three walks on 117 pitches.

Sweeton’s outing came after four pitchers recorded outs against Mount Marty. His solo performance gave rest to the Bulldogs’ pitching for what would be another bullpen game for Concordia, as a quintet of pitchers would combine to put the Tigers away the following day.

Freshman Devin Gonor pitched four innings of work to help the Bulldogs close out Dakota Wesleyan. Gonor gave up one run on four hits, earning the semi-finals win. 

The Bulldogs travel to Crete, Nebraska, on May 4 for a matchup against No. 10 Doane and a chance at the GPAC title. The last time these teams met, Concordia split a four-game set with Doane on March 20-21. Doane carries a four-game winning streak into the matchup and flashes a 43-9 record on the season. Concordia comes into the championship game with four consecutive wins and a 37-15 record this spring.