After an extended break due to the Easter holiday, the College of the Ozarks Baseball Bobcats returned to Coach Bob Smith Field to host the Crusaders of Dallas Christian College in a weekend series. Looking to get back above the .500 mark the Bobcats were ready for a great weekend of baseball.

C of O vs Dallas Christian College – Game 1 – Friday, April 5
Brody Baumann took the mound for the Bobcats and took care of the first two Crusaders before a homerun gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. Baumann retired the next batter, and the Bobcats came to the plate. A one out single off the bat of Ty Rush started the offense and a stolen base and wild pitch moved him to third with two outs. That was all the offense for the Bobcats and the game moved to the second. Baumann took care of the Crusaders in the top half and Jake Leeker started the offense for the Bobcats with a single. Singles by Caleb Johnson, Charlie Parker, and Ty Rush were combined with a Chuck Hill sacrifice fly and a Trey Riley fielder’s choice and the Bobcats took a 4-1 lead to the third. Baumann pitched around a single in the third and the Bobcats were limited to a two out double off the bat of Trey Riley in the bottom half. A three up, three down top of the fourth brought the Bobcats back to the plate. Walks to Zane Kelley, Ty Rush, and Spencer Greene, along with a fielder’s choice off the bat of Chuck Hill loaded the bases to start the frame. A two RBI single by Jake Leeker built the lead to 6-1 before an out was recorded. Another run scored before the Cats were retired and the Bobcats took a 7-1 lead to the fifth. The Crusaders came to life in the top of the fifth and pushed across three runs to cut the Bobcat lead to 7-4. A Chuck Hill single was the extent of the Bobcat offense in the bottom of the inning and the game moved to the sixth. Baumann pitched around a single in the top of the sixth and the Bobcats came up looking for some insurance. A one out walk to Hunter Lewis started the offense but the Bobcats were unable to move him around and Baumann went back to the bump looking to close out the complete game. The Crusaders threatened and loaded the bases, but a fly ball on the infield and a double play ended the inning, and the Bobcats took the opener 7-4.

Ty Rush and Jake Leeker led the offense with two hits each, and Chuck Hill, Caleb Johnson, Trey Riley (2B), and Charlie Parker, contributed one hit each in the win. 

C of O vs Dallas Christian College – Game 2 – Friday, April 5
Weston Whiteside took the hill for game two and made quick work of the Crusaders in the first. Chuck Hill led off with a single and Ty Rush followed with a hit by pitch. Spencer Greene picked up an RBI with a single to left and Caleb Johnson drove in a pair of runs with a single of his own. The Bobcats took a 3-0 lead to the second. The Crusaders picked up a run in the top of the inning, but Whiteside minimized the damage and brought the Bobcats back to the plate leading 3-1. The bats were silenced in the bottom of the inning and the Crusaders scored another run in the top of the third to cut into the lead. A one out double off the bat of Spencer Greene put the Bobcats in position to score and Jake Leeker answered the call with an RBI single to right. Caleb Johnson delivered a single and Leeker scored on a Crusader miscue. Trey Riley kept the line moving with an RBI single to center then stole second and moved to third on an errant throw. Titus Atkins drew a two out walk but the final out was recorded, and the Bobcats took a 6-2 lead to the fourth. The Crusaders put a rally together in the top of the frame and put six runs on the board. Kole Jenks came on to pitch in relief and gave way to Garyn Hall to close out the inning trailing 8-6. The Bobcats wasted no time in putting together a rally of their own and singles by Chuck Hill and Ty Rush were followed by a two RBI triple by Spencer Greene. With the score tied, A Hunter Lewis sacrifice fly scored Greene to return the lead to the Bobcats. Jake Leeker put an exclamation point on the inning with a homerun over the right field fence. A Trey Riley single and a Titus Atkins walk set up a bases clearing double off the bat of Charlie Parker and the Bobcat lead grew to 12-8. The Crusaders needed a pitching change with two outs. A Chuck Hill walk was the end of the Bobcat offense and the game moved to the fifth. Hall threw a three up, three down inning and the Bobcats came up looking to add to their lead. A Ty Rush single got things going and Jake Leeker drew a walk. That was all the offense and the game moved to the sixth.  Hall set the Crusaders down in order in the sixth and Singles by Trey Riley and Ty Rush produced another Bobcat run to bump the lead to 13-8. Hall pitched around a double in the seventh and secured the 13-8 Bobcat win.

Ty Rush, Spencer Greene (2B, 3B), and Trey Riley led the offense with three hits each, and Chuck Hill, Jake Leeker (HR), and Caleb Johnson each turned in two-hit performances. Charlie Parker (2B) added a hit to the cause in the win. 

C of O vs Dallas Christian College – Game 3 – Saturday, April 6
Spencer Greene took the mound for the Bobcats in game three of the series and the Bobcats had sweep in mind. Greene made quick work of the Crusaders in the first and a Chuck Hill single, a walk to Ty Rush, and an RBI single by Jake Leeker put a run on the board for the Bobcats in the bottom half. Greene returned to the mound with a 1-0 lead, but the Crusaders were determined to get on the board as well. A double, single, walk, and an error put a pair of runs up for the visitors, and the Bobcats needed to respond. Trailing 2-1, Trey Riley led off the bottom of the second with a single and moved to second on an error. Charlie Parker delivered the big blow with a one out blast over the right field fence and the Bobcats regained the lead. A Chuck Hill double and walks to Spencer Greene and Hunter Lewis extended the inning before a fly out to left ended the threat. The damage had been done and the Bobcats took a 3-2 lead to the third. Neither team would produce more offense until the bottom of the fourth, when Charlie Parker singled and moved to second on a Chuck Hill sacrifice bunt. A Crusader miscue scored Parker and the Bobcats added to their lead. Greene continued to cruise, and a Caleb Johnson single was left stranded in the fifth to send the game to the sixth. Down to their final six outs, the Crusaders were in need of a rally. A leadoff double and a pair of walks opened the door in the sixth, but Greene slammed it shut with a strikeout. The Bobcats went down in order in their half of the sixth and with the Bobcats leading 4-2, the Crusaders were down to their final three outs. A quick inning by Greene gave him the 4-2 complete game win, and the Bobcats were a win away from the series sweep.

Charlie Parker (HR) and Chuck Hill (2B) had two hits each to lead the offense and Jake Leeker, Caleb Johnson, and Trey Riley added one hit each in the win. 

C of O vs Dallas Christian College – Game 4 – Saturday, April 6
After an outstanding season on the hardwood, Andrew Dalton turned his focus to the diamond and picked up the starting assignment on the mound for the final game of the series. Dalton set the Crusaders down in order in the first and a Ty Rush single was all the offense for the Bobcats. A walk and a single produced a run for the Crusaders in the second and the Bobcats faced an early 1-0 deficit. The Bobcat second turned into a merry-go-round on the base paths as Jake Leeker led off with a double, and back-to-back walks to Caleb Johnson and Charlie Parker loaded the bases. A Crusader miscue kept the line moving and a Brody Baumann single added to the Bobcat score. Chuck Hill doubled, Ty Rush drew a walk, and Spencer Greene pounded a homerun over the left field fence. A single by Hunter Lewis was followed by an error and a Caleb Johnson blast over the left field fence to extend the lead. By the time the Crusaders could record three outs, the Bobcats claimed an 11-1 lead. Dalton recorded a three up, three down inning in the third and the Bobcats came back up again. Ty Rush led off with a single and Greene reached on an error. A Hunter Lewis single drove in another run and Jake Leeker followed with an RBI single of his own. A Caleb Johnson sacrifice fly drove in another run and the Bobcat lead grew to 14-1. The Bobcats were not finished, and Charlie Parker singled to put runners at first and second. A double play ended the threat and the game moved to the fourth. The Crusaders added a run with a pair of singles and a walk and Tyler Buchanan came on to pitch in relief. Buchanan closed out the inning and the Bobcats came to bat leading 14-2. The Bobcats went down in order in their half of the inning and the Crusaders were looking for offense in the fifth. They picked up a pair a runs on a pair of singles, but Buchanan closed the door, and the Bobcats came to the plate. A double off the bat of Jeb Brown started the inning and singles by Davin Sawyer and Zane Kelley pushed Brown across the plate. That was all the Bobcats could get and Sam Teaster took over the pitching duties. The Crusaders added a run in the top of the sixth and the Bobcat bats were silent. Taking a 15-4 lead to the seventh inning, Aaron Gross came on to pitch. A single and a hit by pitch kept the Crusaders alive but a fly ball to left ended the inning and secured the Bobcat win. 

Ty Rush, Hunter Lewis, and Jake Leeker (2B) each recorded two hits to lead the offensive charge. Chuck Hill (2B), Spencer Greene (HR), Jeb Brown (2B), Davin Sawyer, Caleb Johnson (HR), Charlie Parker, Zane Kelley, and Brody Baumann each added a hit in the win.

The Bobcats swept the series and move to 20-16 on the season. They will travel to Arlington Baptist for a series next weekend and will look to continue adding to the win column.