Bobcats dominate the diamond in weekend sweep

The MSU Club Baseball team stepped onto Medina Field in Belgrade last Saturday for a doubleheader. The team was cheered on by a community united in support of Bozeman resident Elliott McCann.

On Tuesday, April 14, a tragic event rattled the Bozeman community. According to an April 14 article from KBZK, 12-year-old McCann was struck by a car while riding his bike. He was transported to a local hospital and later airlifted to another hospital in Salt Lake City.

Despite suffering five broken ribs and a broken collarbone, McCann returned home three days later, with a large number of community members — including the MSU Club Baseball team — waiting at the airport to welcome him back.

Team President Luke Compton, a senior outfielder and first baseman, said that Elliott’s family reached out to the team via Instagram. While the request for support felt random at first, the team soon learned that McCann was also a member of the Bozeman baseball community, according to Compton.

“It became very important to us to show him that we loved him back,” he said.

The team used its social media to encourage followers to donate to Elliott’s GoFundMe and volunteers assisted in putting up posters around campus as well, according to Compton.

“Our national organizers [the National Club Baseball Association], and even our bitter rivals [Utah State] commented some really uplifting messages for Elliott,” Compton said. “It really demonstrates how baseball can create such a family.”

Elliott attended the doubleheader on Sunday, where he received a gift package put together by the team, according to Compton.

In the first game of the day, MSU run-ruled the Weber State Wildcats 11-0 after five innings.

Junior pitcher Nolan Thompson started for MSU, while senior pitcher Wade Rogers took the mound for the Wildcats.

The Bobcats wasted no time getting on the board. As “All My Exes Live in Texas” played over the speakers, Compton stepped to the plate and set the tone.

“Baseball is one of the only sports that doesn’t require high levels of stress to perform well,” Compton said. “There is a certain beauty to playing smooth, relaxed and fun baseball.”

The first inning brought Bobcat runs from Compton, junior designated hitter Nicholas Schneider, freshman outfielder Hudson White and senior second-baseman Trenton Lamie. The ‘Cats extended their lead in the second inning and entered the third up 9-0.

Through the next three innings MSU kept its foot on the gas to close out the first game of the doubleheader.

During a brief recess between games, a short ceremony was held to honor the teams’ seniors. Lamie, Compton, utility player Gavin Vos, outfielder and catcher Evan Caton and outfielder and third-baseman Andrew Western were celebrated for their achievements throughout their four years at MSU.

“My favorite part about being part of the baseball team at MSU is by far the friends that I have made,” Compton said. “Having a bunch of like-minded, down-to-earth guys in the same group makes the club so enjoyable.”

The Bobcats also went on to win the second game, but it was a completely different matchup. In the first inning, Bobcats Caton, Vos and Schneider all brought in runs and the Wildcats were held at zero.

The third inning found the first scores of the day for Weber State. Rogers and sophomore second-baseman and pitcher Krew Richter both earned runs, bringing the score to 3-2 Bobcats. Schneider increased the Bobcats’ lead to two in the fifth, but the game remained close.

MSU’s Andrew Simmons took the mound in the sixth. Wildcats junior outfielder and third-baseman Porter Benton scored, followed by another run from senior catcher and outfielder Chris Ray. Weber State took the lead with a score of 5-4.

MSU led off the seventh inning with three runs, making the score 8-5. Caton scored one last run for the ‘Cats to secure the win.

The Bobcats will face Boise State in Idaho this Saturday for a three-game series — and, according to Compton, it’ll be a tough match-up.

“Whoever wins two of the three games that we will play will advance to the regional playoffs in La Grande, Oregon,” Compton said. “We intend to go at them with everything we have, and we know that we can beat them.”

To learn more about the club baseball team, visit https://tinyurl.com/2s4b525k.