Game Time...The Northwestern College baseball team begins a four-game set against 20th-ranked and GPAC-leading Concordia on Thursday, April 15 in Orange City. Game times for the mid-week doubleheader are set for 5/7:15pm. The teams will then play another doubleheader the next day, on Friday, April 16, beginning at 3pm. 

Northwestern has won back-to-back series against Dakota Wesleyan and Dordt, going 6-2 in its last eight games. The Raiders are tied for sixth in the GPAC with a 7-9 mark, 14-18 overall. Concordia is tied with Doane for first place in the GPAC standings with a 13-3 record, 26-5 overall. The Bulldogs moved up to 20th in this week's coaches poll and have won at least three games in every four-game series against teams this season.

    This week's four-game set also pits the teams that won the last three GPAC regular season titles;  Northwestern in 2018, Concordia in 2017 and 2019.

    Follow the game live at these links: Watch | Live Stats

All-Time...Since the 1992 season, Northwestern has a 53-26 lead in the rivalry and is 6-4 in the last 10 games against the Bulldogs. The teams split a four-game series the last time they played (in 2019); game one: 14-3 loss, game two: 5-4 loss (9 innings), game three: 5-3 win, game four: 7-1 win

Scouting Reports...

#20 Concordia Bulldogs
    2021 Record: 13-3 (T1st GPAC), 26-5 overall
        most recent: won three of four vs Briar Cliff on April 10-11
    Head Coach: Ryan Dupic (7th year)
        -most successful six-year run in program history
        -2x GPAC Coach of the Year (2017, 19)
    GPAC Preseason poll: picked 1st of 11 teams
    Last year's record: 14-7, 2-0 (GPAC), CoVID-shortened season
    2019 record: 23-5 (1st GPAC), 33-20 overall, NAIA Opening Round Qualifier
    by the numbers (GPAC rank)
        batting average: .354 (1st)
        runs per game: 9.6 (1st)
        hits per game: 11.4 (1st)
        HR - 52 (1st); also a program record
        stolen bases - 42 (8th)
        opponents batting average: .217 (1st)
        hits given up per game: 4 (1st)
        runs given up per game: 6 (1st)
        ERA: 3.69 (1st)
        K's / game: 10.3 (1st)
        BB / game: 2.8 (3rd)
    Top Players (GPAC rank-if top 10)
        Jayden Adams: .474 (1st), 50 runs (1st), 12 doubles (3rd), 33 RBI (7th)
        Keaton Candor: .438 (4th), 27 runs, 7 HR (9th), 29 RBI (8th)
        Jesse Garcia (all-conf): .436 (5th), 34 runs (8th), 11 HR (1st), 35 RBI (6th)
        Beau Dorman: .398 (8th), 6 HR, 26 RBI
        Nolan Johnson: 2-0, 0.68 ERA, 13.1 IP, 7 Ks
        Jake Fosgett (2x all-conf): 5-0, 1.91 ERA (1st), 33 IP, 62 Ks
        Nick Little (2x all-conf, 2018 GPAC Pitcher of Year): 4-0, 3.24 ERA, 25 IP, 28 K's
        Trenton Wood: 4-1, 3.19 ERA, 42.1 IP, 55 K's

 Northwestern Red Raiders:
    2021 record: 7-9 (T7th in GPAC), 14-18 overall
        -most recent: won 3 of 4 vs Dordt last weekend
    Head Coach: Brian Wede (15th year)
            -winningest coach in program history
        Preseason: picked 4th in GPAC poll
        By the numbers (GPAC rank)
           Runs / Game: 5.5 (7th)                    
           Hits / Game: 8.3 (7th)
           Batting Ave: .280 (6th)
           HR: 30 (5th)    
           SB: 31 (10th)
           Runs Given Up / Game: 6.1 (6th)
           Hits Given Up / Game: 8.3 (8th)
           ERA: 5.51 (5th)
           Strikeouts / game: 6.5 (9th)
            Individual Leaders (GPAC rank - if top 10)
             Colton Harold (all-conf): .342, 8 HR (4th), 34 RBI (7th)          
            Sutton Derr (all-conf): .331, 20 runs, 10 RBI
            Kip Cullinan: .308, HR, 14 RBI
            Sam Stanford: .301, 3 HR, 12 RBI
            Eli Rash: .312, 3 HR, 11 RBI            
            Brett Shelton: 3-3, 3.94 ERA, 48 IP (9th), 51 Ks (9th)
            Brady Roberts: 3-4, 3.13 ERA (3rd), 46 IP (10th), 41 Ks
            Dylan Kirkeby: 2-1, 3.23 ERA, 39 IP, 42 Ks