Game 1: C of O vs CBC

Conway, AR - College of the Ozarks needed just one inning of offense to secure a road victory Tuesday, striking for four runs in the top of the first and making them stand in a 4–1 win over Central Baptist (Ark.) at Burns Park in Conway, Arkansas.

The Bobcats did all of their damage early, stringing together three extra-base hits and a long ball before Central Baptist recorded three outs. Landon Jines started the rally with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ty Rush followed with an RBI double to plate Jines, and Brody Tyler doubled in Rush to make it 2–0. Two batters later, Aaron Fisher delivered the decisive swing, driving a two-run home run to left that pushed the lead to 4–0 and effectively decided the game.

From there, College of the Ozarks relied on its pitching staff to protect the early cushion. Starter Chandler Eubanks worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Eubanks kept Central Baptist off the board through the first three innings and limited traffic despite the Mustangs’ attempts to answer the early outburst.

Central Baptist’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth, when Ryan Dauphinee cut into the deficit with a solo home run to left, trimming the margin to 4–1. That was the only damage the College of the Ozarks staff allowed, however, as Bobcat pitching held Central Baptist to five hits, two walks and one earned run over seven innings, finishing the day with three strikeouts on 99 pitches, 64 for strikes.

Offensively, the Bobcats maximized their five hits, finishing with four extra-base knocks and drawing five walks while leaving five runners on base. Fisher led the way with the two-run homer, going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Rush added a 1-for-3 line with a double, an RBI and a hit-by-pitch, while Tyler went 1-for-2 with a run-scoring double. College of the Ozarks also showed discipline at the plate, working deep counts and capitalizing on early command issues to force Central Baptist starter Ryan Meyer into trouble in the opening frame.

Meyer took the loss for Central Baptist after being tagged for all four Bobcat runs in the first inning. The Mustangs’ staff settled in after the rocky start, holding College of the Ozarks scoreless over the final six innings and limiting the Bobcats to five total hits, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome. Central Baptist finished with five hits and left six runners on base.

Game 2: C of O vs CBC

Behind a complete-game three-hit shutout from starter Carter Riley and a decisive two-run double by Ty Rush, College of the Ozarks handled Central Baptist (Ark.) 3–0 on Tuesday afternoon at Burns Park.

Riley was in control from the outset, needing just 70 pitches to navigate seven scoreless innings. The right-hander scattered three hits, walked two and struck out three, efficiently keeping Central Baptist off balance and allowing the Bobcats to make a trio of early runs stand up. Central Baptist managed only three left on base as Riley repeatedly worked ahead in counts and induced routine outs.

College of the Ozarks broke through in the third inning, capitalizing on the first of several Mustang defensive miscues. With Landon Jines on base, Craig Busse reached on an error by third baseman Josh Lumsden, allowing Jines to come home with the game’s opening run. The unearned run put the Bobcats up 1–0 and set the tone on a day when Central Baptist finished with four errors.

The Bobcats created separation an inning later. In the top of the fourth, Keegan Stone and Chase Robertson reached ahead of Rush, who delivered the game’s biggest swing. Rush drove a two-run double to center field, plating both runners and pushing the lead to 3–0. Rush finished 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice, factoring directly into the bulk of the Bobcats’ six-hit attack. Offensively, College of the Ozarks was steady if not explosive, recording six hits without drawing a walk and striking out five times. The Bobcats still made their chances count, stranding six runners but taking advantage of Central Baptist’s defensive lapses at key moments. Defensively, College played a clean game with no errors, backing Riley throughout his complete-game effort.

Central Baptist starter Trey Watson turned in a solid outing in defeat, going the distance for seven innings. Watson allowed six hits and three earned runs while striking out five and not issuing a walk over 83 pitches. Preston White provided much of the Mustangs’ offense, going 2-for-3, but Central Baptist finished with only three hits as a team and could not solve Riley with runners aboard.

With the 3–0 victory, College of the Ozarks secured a road shutout behind dominant starting pitching, opportunistic offense and error-free defense, setting a strong early-season standard as the Bobcats look ahead to the remainder of their nonconference slate.