Hot Start Helps Bobcats Earn Split with Blue Knights

Coach Matt McCue and his Bobcats Baseball team traveled to take on Great Rivers Athletic Conference foe OCC on the road on Saturday, April 11.

Game 1 – Frontier 15, OCC 1

Frontier rolled to a dominant 15-1 victory over the Blue Knights in the opener.

The Bobcats broke the game open in the top of the fifth inning. Kasey Lowe doubled to drive in two runs, while Cam Napier and Gael Salinas each followed with RBI singles to extend the lead.

Frontier added five more runs in the eighth inning on four hits. Napier delivered another RBI single, Mayes Gosser brought in three runs with a single, and Josh French added a sacrifice fly.

Aaron Buffington earned the win for Frontier, tossing five and one-third scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, striking out six, and walking three. Caleb Boff provided solid relief with one and one-third innings of hitless, scoreless work. Ian Hall took the loss for OCC.

The Bobcats finished with 10 hits. Napier led the way with three hits in five at-bats, while Gosser and Lowe each drove in three runs. Justin Early added two hits. Frontier was aggressive on the basepaths with six stolen bases and also turned a double play.

Will Inman and Renn Harper each recorded a hit for the Blue Knights, with Inman driving in OCC's lone run.

Game 2 – OCC 8, Frontier 6

The Blue Knights responded in game two, defeating the Bobcats 8-6.

Frontier struck first in the opening inning on a fielder's choice by Gosser that brought in a run. The Bobcats added to their lead in the third, as Jordan Carter drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Gosser followed with an RBI single.

OCC surged ahead in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-4 lead. Key hits included a triple by Renn Harper, singles from Caleb Seibers and Aidan Capone, and another triple by Andrew Krupa.

Logan Swaney earned the win for OCC, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits over five innings. Ian-Olivier Beaulieu took the loss for Frontier. Will Lawson picked up the save.

Gosser led the Bobcats offensively with two RBIs while going 2-for-4. He and Lowe each collected two hits, and Carter drew two walks as Frontier worked seven free passes in the game.

The Blue Knights had balanced production at the plate, with Aidan Capone, Landon Smelt, Micah Austin, Renn Harper, Andrew Krupa, Caleb Seibers, Max Fortwendel, and Rivers Freckelton each recording a hit. Capone, Harper, Krupa, Seibers, and Fortwendel each drove in a run. Harper and Seibers led OCC's aggressive baserunning effort, as the Blue Knights stole five bases.