Sower sports roundup, week of February 8
By Keith Siek
Concordia Athletics were well represented in baseball, softball, and tennis both at home and on the road this week. Here’s what Bulldogs fans might have missed.
Men’s baseball
The No. 16 Bulldogs played four games against Clarke University, going 3-1 in that span.
Concordia dropped its first game against Clarke 3-4. The Bulldogs’ three-run seventh inning just fell short and gave baseball their second loss on the season.
Concordia got back in the winning column with an 11-0 result in the second game Saturday, behind the offensive production from senior Bronx Lewis and junior Jack Hirchert.
Hirchert led the way with four RBIs, and Lewis knocked in three RBIs for his team thanks to a seventh-inning home run.
During Saturday’s rematch, Junior Sam Bespoyasny got the win, pitching four scoreless innings and racking up five strikeouts. Teammate, graduate student Alex Johnson, fanned seven Clarke hitters in his three innings of work during Saturday’s rematch.
The Bulldogs continued their series against Clarke Sunday with a double header, beating them 7-0 in game three and 13-0 in game four.
In the Bulldog’s 7-0 win, junior Carson Burnett and senior Jaeden Jordahl tallied solo home runs to take the lead early in the game. Sophomore catcher Jake Watson knocked in three RBIs with a double and a home run in three at-bats.
Sophomore Micah Sweeton silenced Clarke’s scoring in six innings of work, striking out eleven batters in the process and earning the win.
In the second game of the day, the Bulldogs offense produced four home runs in their 13-0 take-down of Clarke. Lewis hit two out of the park, and his teammates, Jordahl and Burnett, continued their two-game home run streak, hitting one apiece.
Sunday’s winning pitchers, Sweeton and freshman Devin Gonor, served up twenty strikeouts to Clarke hitters. Sweeton struck out eleven in six innings of work, and Gonor fanned nine in six innings.
The Bulldogs move to 6-2 on the season and head on the road to Fayette, Missouri, for a pair of double headers against Clarke University and Central Methodist University on Feb. 21 and 22.
Softball
Bulldog softball swept the University of St. Mary 4-3 and 8-7 on Feb. 14, but fell to Benedictine College 0-4 and 3-7 in two games on Feb. 15.
Sophomore Mary Beth Hart tallied doubles and multiple hits in both games against St. Mary. Junior Grace Maguire hit a two-RBI home run in the second game against Saint Mary, joining senior teammates Taryn Ganstrom and Grace Zuagg with two RBIs.
Concordia left 13 on base during their two-game set against Benedictine but pushed three runs across the board in the second game thanks to RBIs from Hart and Zuagg, which leaves the Bulldogs’ record at 5-5 on the year.
Bulldog softball continues its season in McPherson, Kansas, against Central Christian College on Feb. 21.
Men’s Tennis
Concordia men’s tennis hosted meets this week against Pratt Community College and Bethany College. The Bulldogs beat Pratt Community College 5-2 on Feb. 12 and took down Bethany College 6-1 on Feb. 14.
In doubles action this week, senior Nick Velders and sophomore Ben Chisolm went unbeaten as a team, defeating Bethany’s Martin Priban/Dylan Gewilt 6-2 and Pratt’s Juan Pablo Guerra/Tiago Marques 6-2.
Senior Santiago Abadia and freshman Leo Lopez each went 2-0 in singles matches throughout the two games.
Concordia Men’s Tennis continues its undefeated season (3-0) against Nebraska Wesleyan in Walz Fieldhouse on Feb. 16.
Women’s Tennis
Women’s tennis outscored Pratt Community College 4-3 in Walz Fieldhouse on February 12.
Sophomore Nina Milic helped the Bulldogs win the meet by defeating Pratt’s Alyse Zimmerman in singles competition 6-0 and 6-0. In doubles play, Nina teamed up with junior Chakira Derman to take down Pratt’s Barbara Mattar and Zimmerman 6-3.
A dominant 6-1, 6-0 singles performance from senior Mariana Molano helped the Bulldogs reach four team points.
Women’s tennis moves to 4-1 on the year, and next competes against Ottawa University in Grand Island on Feb. 21.
