Sower sports roundup, week of April 19

By Kai Olbrich

Sports Editor

Men’s Golf

The Concordia men’s golf team battled through a challenging week at the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships, finishing 11th in the final conference standings after three rounds played April 20-21 at Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota.

The Bulldogs posted rounds of 325-324-322 for a tournament total of 971 (+107) while competing against the top programs in the conference.

On April 20-21, Concordia was led by freshman Calvin Zabloudil, who turned in the team’s most consistent performance with rounds of 78-79-77 to finish tied for 25th overall with a 54-hole total of 234. He closed the tournament strong with the Bulldogs’ lowest round of the week, helping anchor the lineup.

Senior Jake Richmond also finished well, tying for 36th place after rounds of 81-82-77 for a total of 240. Junior Jude Elgert followed with scores of 83-79-83 (245), while freshman Logan Krabbenhoft carded rounds of 83-84-85 (252) to place 48th. Senior Brock Rogers contributed scores of 87 and 85, and freshman Tyler Weismann added an 86 in round two.

Head Coach Brett Muller acknowledged the difficulty of the course and the missed opportunities throughout the event, noting that Dakota Dunes provided a demanding test. Despite the result, the Bulldogs improved their team score each round and continued to compete with determination through the finish.

The tournament also marked the end of the collegiate careers of seniors Jake Richmond and Brock Rogers, both four-year contributors to the program. Earlier this spring, the pair helped Concordia set the school’s 18-hole record with a two-under-par 278 at the Doane Spring Invite, alongside Zabloudil’s 69. Richmond finished the season with the team’s lowest scoring average at 77.4, followed closely by Zabloudil at 78.2.

Hastings claimed the 2026 GPAC Championship team title, while Max Nielsen earned individual medalist honors. The Bulldogs close the season after competing in nine tournaments and continuing to build a strong foundation for the future.

Baseball

The Concordia men’s baseball team closed the regular season with a strong showing against the Morningside and Hastings baseball teams, highlighted by a key sweep and a split game, both on the road.

Concordia delivered one of its most important performances of the season with a doubleheader sweep of Morningside, winning 6-4 and 6-0 in Sioux City, April 23.

Junior outfielder Luke Wilson powered the Bulldogs with three home runs across two games, leading the team to extra-base hits. Graduate student Alex Johnson earned the game one win while on the mound. He allowed four runs and six strikeouts, while sophomore Micah Sweeton dominated in game two by allowing five hits and striking out 14 players.

Then the Bulldogs traveled to Hastings for their final regular-season game, splitting the doubleheader. Concordia lost the opener 3-1 before responding with an 11-0 victory in the finale.

In the win over Hastings, junior Jake Tyler provided key swings with two hits that translated into four RBIs. On the mound, junior Sam Bespoyasny earned the win by having four scoreless innings and three strikeouts.

The results give the Bulldogs momentum heading into the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament as the second seed. They host the seventh-seeded Mount Marty baseball team on April 29 at 6 p.m. at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Softball

Concordia softball hosted Doane University on April 22, recording a pair of wins against their Great Plains Athletic Conference rivals in a dominant, two-game sweep to begin the last homestand of the season. The Bulldogs toppled Doane 9-0 to begin the series and sent the Tigers back to Crete winless, following a 12-4 victory.

Freshman Mary Beth Hart provided consistent offense for the Bulldogs, recording back-to-back multi-hit games. Hart tested Doane’s infield defense on the base pass with two steals in the series.

Junior Keira Ferritor powered Concordia’s hitting attack with a four-RBI game to close out the series, after registering two RBIs in the game before. Ferritor tallied three hits in the second game, with a home run for the second Concordia fence-clearing blast in the opening frame.

Senior Taryn Ganstrom raked in four hits in the second game, including a two-run home run in the first inning, an RBI double in the fifth, and a triple to complete the cycle. Ganstrom recorded three RBIs in just five at-bats.

Junior Kaylei Denison silenced Doane’s offence in the first game, giving up only two hits in a five-inning complete game shutout. Denison faced just three batters over the minimum and struck out four in the series opener.

Concordia finished its homestand against the College of St. Mary on April 25. Click here to read more on that senior day win.