LINCOLN, Neb. — Dakota Wesleyan Baseball faced the hosting Concordia Bulldogs in the Great Plains Athletic Conference Semifinals, where they needed to win two games back-to-back to advance to the championship series.
The Bulldogs and Tigers were both able to get runs on the board early as the first half of the contest stayed close, with Dakota Munger recording two strikeouts in his start on the mound. CUNE was able to post single runs in the first and second, but DWU was quick to respond as Mason Riley continued his hot streak in the GPAC Tournament with a two-run homer to center field to tie the game up after two frames. Concordia was once again able to chip away offensively with an RBI single in the third before recording two more runs on a double in the top of the fourth, putting the Tigers at a 5-2 disadvantage, but Shane Cowan was able to answer with an RBI single to center field, along with an error getting Caleb Breuer across home plate, bringing the score back within a run at 5-4. The fifth inning saw the Bulldogs get their biggest momentum swing of the game on offense; however, as they were able to record four runs in the frame, forcing a pitching change and putting the Tigers in a bind. Lucas Koepsell forced two outs before Broc Berry would begin his four-inning, two-strikeout relief appearance, but the Concordia offense had fully taken control of the game. Offensively, Dakota Wesleyan would go scoreless for the next three innings, getting a run back in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI single from Dexter Payne, but still not able to close the gap. The Tiger offense did make good contact throughout the game, including three hits from both Cowan and leadoff hitter Lane Darrow, but Concordia was able to put more runs on the board and prevent the Tigers from putting together a final rally. DWU's GPAC Tournament run and season would end, 14-5, in a nine-inning contest.
Dakota Wesleyan Baseball concludes the 2026 campaign with a 21-28 overall record, marking the program's highest win total since the 2019 season, and it is head coach Charlie Dubanoski's best season to date. The Tigers will be back for the 2027 season. Get news, updates, and more information here.