The College of the Ozarks Baseball Team capped off another successful season as they made the Continental Conference Tournament in their first year back in NAIA then followed that up with a NCCAA World Series appearance.
The Bobcats made a run in the series played in Kansas City with a second straight final four appearance. A recap of the games from the tournament are below from College of the Ozarks Sports Information:
Following a Final Four appearance in 2023, the College of the Ozarks Baseball Bobcats were looking for another deep post-season run in 2024. The 27-22 Bobcats were set to open the NCCAA World Series in Kansas City, Mo. against Columbia International University. The Bobcats were coming off an impressive performance against NAIA No. 2, Georgia Gwinnett College in the Continental Athletic Conference tournament, and they were looking to build on that performance going into the NCCAA World Series.
C of O vs Columbia International University – Saturday, May 18
Tyler Buchanan got the start on the mound for the Bobcats and Columbia International wasted no time setting the tone. A pair of doubles, a single, and free passes gave the Rams an early 4-0 lead before the Bobcats came in to swing the bats. A Ty Rush walk opened the Bobcat offense in the bottom of the first and a Jake Leeker hit by pitch moved Rush into scoring position. A deep fly ball off the bat of Spencer Greene moved Rush to third and the Cats were 90 feet away from their first run. A two-out single off the bat of Hunter Lewis scored a run and extended the Bobcat threat. Rhett Hill was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded. Trey Riley picked up an easy RBI with a walk and the Rams made a move to the bullpen. A pop out ended the inning and Buchanan went back to work. Buchanan recorded a three up-three down inning to make quick work of the Rams and bring the Bobcats back to the plate. A Chuck Hill double and a Ty Rush hit by pitch were stranded and the game moved to the third, 4-2 Rams. Aaron Gross took over the pitching duties for the Bobcats and a walk and a double added a run for the Rams. Another walk brought Garyn Hall in from the bullpen. A ground out pushed another run across for the Rams and when the final out was recorded, the Rams held a 7-2 lead. Not to be outdone, the Bobcats came up looking to stay within striking distance. Spencer Greene led off the Bobcat half with a double and Hunter Lewis promptly smacked an RBI single to center. Rhett Hill was hit by a pitch and a Caleb Johnson double added another Bobcat tally. A Rams balk scored Hill and the Bobcats had cut the gap to 7-5 after three. The Rams picked up a hit in the fourth, but Hall closed the door to bring the Bobcats back to the plate. A Jake Leeker bomb over the right field fence opened the inning and Spencer Greene went back-to back with a jack of his own. With the score tied 7-7, Hunter Lewis kept the line moving with a hit by pitch and Caleb Johnson ripped his second RBI double to give the Bobcats the 8-7 lead. A Chuck Hill bunt single was the only offense for both teams in the fifth and the Rams came back to life in the sixth. A pair of doubles tied the game 8-8 and the Bobcats brought in Spenser Greene to take over on the mound. The Rams took the lead on a wild pitch before the last out was recorded and the back-and-forth battle continued. Neither team produced any offense again until the Bobcat half of the seventh. Charlie Parker ignited the attack with a leadoff double and Chuck Hill singled to move Parker to third. Hill stole second and Ty Rush was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jake Leeker smacked a two-RBI single, and the Bobcats regained the lead. After a double play recorded the second out of the frame, a Rhett Hill double scored Leeker and the Bobcats held a 12-9 lead. A Rams miscue was followed by a Caleb Johnson walk and Charlie Parker doubled in his second at bat of the inning, scoring another pair of runs. Chuck Hill walked, and Ty Rush was hit by a pitch before the final out was recorded, and the Bobcats took a 15-9 lead to the eighth inning. Greene pitched around a two out single to retire the Rams and the Bobcats came up looking for more offense. Titus Atkins picked up a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning then stole second. Trey Riley drew a walk and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Caleb Johnson continued his hot hitting and delivered a two-RBI single to add a pair of tallies. The game to the ninth and the Bobcats lead had grown to 7-9. The Rams refused to go down without a fight, and they used a pair of singles and a pair of doubles to tack on three runs. Greene buckled down to secure the final out and the Bobcats took the opening round game, 17-12.
Chuck Hill (2B) and Caleb Johnson (2B, 2B) led the offense with three hits each and Hunter Lewis, Jake Leeker, Charlie Parker (2B,2B), and Spencer Greene (2B) each added a pair of hits in the win. Rhett Hill (2B) also added a hit to the cause.
C of O vs Concordia University – Ann Arbor – Saturday, May 18
The Bobcats came back Saturday evening to face the No. 2 seed, Concordia University Cardinals. After a slug fest in the opening game, the Bobcats were hoping to keep the bats hot against one of the top teams in the tournament.
The Bobcats jumped on the board early with a Chuck Hill hit by pitch and a Hunter Lewis RBI single in the opening frame. The Bobcats sent Weston Whiteside to the mound, and he pitched around a Bobcat miscue to maintain the Bobcat advantage. The Bobcats threatened in the second with singles from Jake Leeker and Trey Riley, but the big hit was elusive and that was the extent of the offense in the top of the inning. Whiteside was dominant early and neither team would generate offense until the bottom of the third. The Cardinals picked up a run with a pair of doubles, but Whiteside minimized the damage and worked his way out of the inning with the score tied 1-1. Jake Leeker singled in the top of the fourth but that was all the Bobcats could get and the bats seemed to be stymied. Whiteside pitched around a two-out triple in the fourth and Charlie Parker and Ty Rush singled but were stranded in the Bobcat fifth. The Cardinals came to life in their half of the inning, and they used a pair of triples, and a walk to take a 3-1 lead. The Bobcats were needing to string some hits together to chip away at the gap. They could only manage a Hunter Lewis walk, and a two-out double off the bat of Caleb Johnson in the sixth. Whiteside gave way to Sam Teaster in the bottom of the inning and a double play helped end a threat for more Cardinal runs. Both teams were quiet with the bats until the eighth inning when Hunter Lewis provided a Bobcat single, and Rhett Hill followed with a walk. That was all the Bobcats could muster, and they were down to their final three outs. The Cardinals were contained in the bottom of the eighth, but the Bobcats went down in order in the ninth and the game ended with a 3-1 Concordia win.
The Bobcats outhit the Cardinals 8-7 with Hunter Lewis and Jake Leeker leading the way with two hits each. Charlie Parker, Trey Riley, Caleb Johnson, and Ty Rush each contributed a hit to the Bobcat effort.
C of O vs Kansas Christian College – Monday, May 20
In a win or go home contest, the Bobcats were set to take on the tournament host, Kansas Christian College Falcons.
Brody Baumann got the start on the mound and he and the Bobcats set the tone early. A quick defensive inning brought the Cats to the plate and the bats erupted. A Ty Rush single led things off with one out and Spencer Greene followed with a two out single. Hunter Lewis was hit by a pitch, Rhett Hill singled, Charlie Parker drew a walk, Caleb Johnson singled, and Trey Riley singled. When the dust settled, the Bobcats had an early 5-0 lead. The Falcons answered with a run in the top of the second, but Baumann limited the damage and closed the door on the Falcon offense. The Bobcats returned to the plate and another offensive outburst ensued. Ty Rush started things off with a walk, Jake Leeker followed with a single, and Spencer Greene singled to drive in a pair of runs. Hunter Lewis kept the line moving with a single, Charlie Parker walked, and Caleb Johnson was hit by a pitch. Spencer Greene and Hunter Lewis crossed the plate before the final out was recorded and the Cats took a 9-1 lead to the third. Neither team produced any offense until the bottom of the fourth. The Bobcats used a Hunter Lewis single, a pair of Falcon miscues, and a hit by pitch to add another two runs. Baumann had cruised through the first four innings, but the Falcons came to life in the fifth. A double, a single, and a pair of free passes added two runs to the Falcon side of the board and the lead was cut to 11-3. The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the inning with a run off of a walk to Jake Leeker and singles by Ty Rush and Hunter Lewis. Baumann continued to hold the Falcons in check and neither team could get the bats going. Sam Teaster came on to pitch in the top of the eighth and the Falcons were able to add a run, hoping to avoid a run rule situation. The Bobcats had other plans however, and a Kyle Beeman walk was followed by a single off the bat of Caleb Johnson. A Ty Rush sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and Titus Atkins singled to drive in a run. With the winning run 90 feet away, Ty Rush hit a deep fly ball to drive in the final run and the Bobcats took the game, 14-4.
Hunter Lewis led the offensive attack with three hits and Spencer Greene, Ty Rush, and Caleb Johnson added two hits each. Titus Atkins, Jake Leeker, Rhett Hill, and Trey Riley added one hit each in the win.
C of O vs Mission University – Tuesday, May 21
The Bobcats were the visitors on the scoreboard and picked up singles by Ty Rush and Hunter Lewis to get things started. The Cats were not able to move them around and Rhett Hill took the mound for the Bobcats. An out and a walk were registered before a rain and lightning delay changed the scene. Following an hour halt in the action, another pair of walks loaded the bases for the Patriots and an infield single put the first run on the board. The next out was recorded, and the Bobcats came up looking for some offense. A Trey Riley singled led off the second and a Caleb Johnson double followed. With runners at second and third, a Chuck Hill triple gave the Bobcats a 2-1 lead. Charlie Parker picked up an RBI with a groundout to second and that was all the offense for the Bobcats. A one out triple, just out of the reach of a diving Caleb Johnson, gave the Patriots an opportunity to cut into the lead. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, Johnson was injured on the play and was questionable to return. A sacrifice fly reduced the lead to 3-2, but Hill limited the damage to a single run. Spencer Greene opened the third inning with a double and the Cats were threatening again. A Hunter Lewis single scored Greene and the Bobcat lead grew to 4-2. Rhett Hill added to the lead with an RBI single and the Bobcats were rolling. A Chuck Hill sacrifice fly added yet another tally and the Bobcats led 6-2 heading to the bottom of the third. Hill pitched around a leadoff walk and a single in the Mission half, and the Bobcats came up looking to add to the lead. A one-out double off the bat of Jake Leeker forced a Mission pitching change and Spencer Greene greeted the new hurler with an infield single. Rhett Hill then muscled up for an opposite field bomb, and the Bobcat lead grew to 9-2. A Trey Riley double followed, but he was stranded, and the game moved to the bottom of the fourth. Hill pitched around a one out double to keep the Patriots in check and the Bobcats came up looking to put the game out of reach. Chuck Hill led off the fifth with an infield single and Charlie Parker moved Hill to third with a single to right. Parker promptly stole second to put runners at second & third with no outs. Ty Rush added an RBI single, and Jake Leeker doubled to add another pair of tallies. The Bobcat lead was 12-2 with no outs. Spencer Greene added another run with an RBI double and the bats were on fire. A walk to Hunter Lewis kept the line moving and a Rhett Hill infield single followed. Titus Atkins drew a walk and Chuck Hill delivered an RBI single. Charlie Parker smashed the decisive blow with a three-run shot over the left field wall and now trailing 18-2, the Patriots went to the bullpen. The final out was recorded on the next batter and the game moved to the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff home run gave the Patriots some life, but they had a lot of ground to make up. The Patriots added a single and a double to score another run, but Hill buckled down and shut down the threat. The Bobcats were not ready to take their foot off the gas and Jake Leeker started the sixth with a single. The Patriots had other plans and they retired the Cats for only the second scoreless inning of the game. Hill went back to work on the mound and the Patriots were limited to a single in the sixth. The Bobcats came up in the seventh looking to add more to their total. A Chuck Hill single was all the offense for the Bobcats in the seventh, and Rhett Hill went back to the bump, just three outs away from the win. The Patriots were determined to keep fighting and a pair of hits added a run to the board. A pop out ended the frame, and the Bobcats took the contest 18-5. The win moved the Cats to the Final Four for the second consecutive year and advanced them to the late semifinal game Tuesday evening.
Chuck Hill (3B) led the offensive attack with four hits in four at bats and Rhett Hill (HR) and Jake Leeker (2B, 2B) added three hits each. Ty Rush (2B), Spencer Greene (2B, 2B), Hunter Lewis, Trey Riley (2B), and Charlie Parker (HR) each tacked on a pair of hits in the win.
C of O vs Southwestern Christian University (Semifinal) – Tuesday, May 21
After piling on 18 runs in the win against Mission University, the Bobcats were looking to continue riding the momentum and bring the hot bats to the tournament semifinal. The Bobcats were set to square off against future Sooner Athletic Conference foe, Southwestern Christian University. The Bobcats had taken one of four games in the regular season matchup with the Eagles, so they knew they would have their hands full.
The Bobcats stepped to the plate first and a one-out Ty Rush single started the offense. Rush was thrown out stealing second and a ground out ended the opening frame for C of O. Andrew Dalton picked up the start on the mound for the Bobcats and a quick three up-three down inning took the game to the second. The Bobcats went down in order in the top half of the inning and the Eagles put small ball to work in the bottom half. A pair of walks and two bunt singles spelled trouble for the Bobcats and with the help of a sacrifice bunt, the Eagles put three runs on the board. The Bobcats came up in the third and needed to respond. Unfortunately, a Charlie Parker walk was all the offense the Bobcats could generate. The Eagles wasted no time capitalizing on their newfound momentum. Two doubles and a walk brought Tyler Buchanan in from the bullpen. A pair of singles added tallies to the Eagles’ total and the Bobcats were in a 7-0 hole. The Bobcat bats continued to be silenced in the fourth and another quick inning brought the Eagles back to the plate. A hit by pitch, a single, and a Bobcat miscue added a run for the Eagles and Garyn Hall came in to pitch in relief. Hall shut down the Eagle offense and the Bobcats came to the plate looking for answers. A Hunter Lewis single gave a glimmer of optimism, but a double play and a ground out sent the Cats back to the field. Neither team would produce offense until the Eagles came up in the bottom of the seventh. A single and a walk brought Aaron Gross from the Bobcat bullpen. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly added the ninth Eagle run. The winning run for the Eagles was in scoring position and a single down the left field line sealed the 10-0 win for Southwestern Christian.
Ty Rush and Hunter Lewis provided the only hits as the Bobcats finished their season with a 30-24 record and their second consecutive trip to the NCCAA Final Four. Bobcat freshman, Hunter Lewis, received World Series All-Tournament Team honors, and Chuck Hill, Cadan Kauffman, Zane Kelley, Trey Riley, and Ty Rush were recognized as NCCAA Scholar Athletes.
Bobcats Caleb Johnson, Chuck Hill, Spencer Greene, Tyler Buchanan, Rhett Hill, Riley Loyd, and Titus Atkins wrapped up their careers in the Bobcat maroon and white, and the impact they made on the program will be remembered for years to come. With a host of young talent returning in 2025, the Bobcats are sure to be back in force and we look for great things to come in the future.
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