Walk-Off Magic: Bobcats Take Game 1, Split with KC

Riding a five-game winning streak and coming off a matchup with Kaskaskia just two days earlier, Coach Matt McCue and his Bobcats Baseball team returned home to FNB Field on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to host the Blue Devils.

Game 1 – Frontier 10, Kaskaskia 9

It came down to the final at-bat, and Frontier delivered in dramatic fashion. The Bobcats walked it off for a 10-9 victory over KC, rallying in the bottom of the ninth inning. Trailing 9-8, Jordan Carter came through with a clutch triple that drove in two runs to seal the win.

Both teams produced offensively in a back-and-forth contest, with Frontier collecting 12 hits compared to seven for KC.

KC struck first with two runs in the opening inning, but Frontier responded in the second when Cam Napier was hit by a pitch to help even the score. The Bobcats took their first lead in the third on a solo home run to center field by Mayes Gosser, making it 3-2.

KC regained momentum in the fifth with a three-run homer, then extended its lead to 7-6 in the seventh. Frontier answered again in the bottom half, as Kasey Lowe delivered an RBI single to tie the game.

The Blue Devils took a 9-7 lead in the eighth on a two-run homer, but the Bobcats refused to go away. In the ninth, Gael Salinas drove in a run with a single before Carter's walk-off triple completed the comeback.

Nate Stivers earned the win in relief for Frontier, tossing 1.1 innings of hitless, scoreless baseball with three strikeouts. Aaron Buffington started for the Bobcats, allowing three runs (one earned) over 4.1 innings. Miles Whitesell and Braxton Mathews also saw time out of the bullpen.

Offensively, Salinas led Frontier with a 3-for-5 performance, while Gosser and Chase Loesch each added multiple hits. Carter drove in a team-high three runs. The Bobcats also showed patience at the plate with seven walks and aggressiveness on the bases with four stolen bases.

Game 2 – Kaskaskia 9, Frontier 3

In the second game of the doubleheader, KC jumped out early and never looked back, defeating Frontier 9-3 to earn the split.

The Blue Devils plated two runs in the first inning and added three more in the second to build an early cushion. They continued to apply pressure in the third, scoring three additional runs to take control.

Frontier showed flashes offensively, with Garrett Schmidt leading the way with two hits. Josh French and Mayes Gosser each drove in a run for the Bobcats, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Ian-Olivier Beaulieu took the loss for Frontier, while KC's Daniel Shuta earned the win.

KC finished with 12 hits in the game, highlighted by multiple-hit performances throughout the lineup.

With the split, Frontier moves to 33-17 overall and 18-12 in Great Rivers Athletic Conference play. The Bobcats will return to FNB Field on Tuesday to host Vincennes University at 4 p.m., weather permitting.