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The Phoenix hurler was at his best when it mattered most, under the postseason spotlight. In the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round, Rost delivered a masterpiece against Louisiana Christian, tossing a complete-game shutout in an elimination game while allowing just three hits, walking two, and striking out a career-high 14 batters. That performance, his final outing of the season, marked season highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts.

In the Mid-South Conference tournament, Rost was spectacular, picking up two wins over 8th-ranked Cumberlands including the conference championship game. He tossed 8.1, scattering eight hits for four runs while striking out 11 in the win. Two days later, he came back to chuck the final three innings in relief of the finals getting the win.

Rost’s dominance was evident throughout the regular season. He allowed one earned run or fewer in 10 of his 16 outings, including a five-inning no-hit performance against the Cumberlands on April 26. In that same stretch, he recorded eight or more strikeouts in five games.

The Minnesota native was efficient and composed on the mound all year. In an April 8 win over Campbellsville, he went eight innings, striking out eight without issuing a walk. On March 14, Rost flirted with perfection taking a perfect game into the ninth inning of a win over Lindsey Wilson earning him both Mid-South Conference Pitcher of the Week honors as well as NAIA National Pitcher of the Week.

Across the season, Rost faced 343 batters, allowing only three home runs and just two wild pitches.

He is the 73rd baseball player to earn All-America accolades and the first Cumberland pitcher to earn the honor since Anthony Gomez in 2013.