(Peru, Neb.) – The bats were cold in the first game of the year, but the Peru State College (PSC) Bobcat baseball team got them going in the second game. Unfortunately, for the Bobcats, the bats of the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) were hot as well in the second game. OBU came into the game with a NAIA pre-season ranking of ninth having finished fourth in last year's final poll.
The Bison swept the opening double header for both teams, winning the first game 3-0 and then took the nightcap 12-11 in nine innings. OBU moves to 2-0 on the year while PSC starts the season 0-2.
Game 1 Action
The Bison were able to put across two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Peru State tried to get something going in the top of the third inning. After a Bobcat walk, the runner was picked up and then the next batter grounded out.
Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) walked and went to second on a single by
Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.). Unfortunately for the 'Cats, the next batter flied out to center.
After shutting out the Bison in the bottom of the third, again Peru State tried to scratch across a run. Following the first two outs of the inning,
Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) singled to right and advanced to second on a Bison bobble. Voigt moved to third on a passed ball, but the next PSC batter struck out.
Oklahoma Baptist did put across another run in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-0 win.
Voigt was two of three for the game while Castillo and
Jeff Eubank (Fort Pierce, Fla.) each had one hit.
Will Scott (Defuniak Springs, Fla.) suffered the loss as he tossed innings giving up seven hits, two runs, two earned runs, and struck out three.
Philip Lial (Las Vegas, Nev.) pitched one inning in relief giving up one hit, one run, and one earned run.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Game 2 Action
OBU put across three in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead.
In the top of the second,
J.L. Thomason (Holt, Fla.) started the inning off with a single to left and went to second when Voigt walked. Both runners advanced on a Bison passed ball.
Brenden Gentry (Salisaw, Okla.) grounded out, but Thomason was able to score the first Bobcat run of the year making it 3-1 OBU with Voigt going to third.
Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha) lined out to left allowing Voigt to score and PSC had cut it to 3-2. Lial singled, but the next Bobcat struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Bison added two in the bottom of the second to extend their lead to 5-2.
In the top the third, the Bobcats rocked OBU for eight runs. Castillo singled to left and then stole second.
Tyler Croushorn (Omaha) singled to first scoring Castillo. Croushorn went to second with a stolen base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Eubank then got on with a walk and went to second with a stolen base. Another walk was issued to Thomason. Croushorn and Eubank would score on a Voigt double with Thomason advancing to third.
A single by Gentry continued the scoring as Thomason came across and Voigt went to third. Fredrickson came up with a single thru the hole at shortstop and Voigt scored and Gentry moved to second.
Mitch Roberts (Wymore) came in as a courtesy runner for Fredrickson. A new pitcher faced Lial who put down a sacrifice bunt advancing the runners. Santiesteban was walked to load the bases and Castillo made the Bison pay with a triple to right driving in all three runners. Two Bobcat outs followed, but the eight runs put PSC on top 10-5.
Oklahoma Baptist cut into the Bobcat lead with three in the bottom of the third making it 10-8 after three.
The Bobcats had the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, but could not push anything across. PSC held OBU scoreless in the bottom of the inning before plating one run in the next inning. Castillo singled thru the hole at shortstop and stole second. Castillo advanced to third on a ground-out and came home as Eubank tripled to deep right-center. PSC could not plate any other runs, but increased their lead to 11-8.
No scoring took place until the bottom of the sixth as OBU tied the game at 11-11 with three runs.
Neither team scored in the seventh, forcing extra innings. In the top of the eighth, PSC had a runner on third, but could not get him in. The Bobcats held OBU scoreless in the bottom of the eighth forcing the game into the ninth.
PSC would not score in the top of the ninth, but OBU would get a run in the bottom of the inning, aided by a Bobcat wild pitch, and the Bison won 12-11.
Castillo went three for five, one a triple, and drove in three runs. Thomason and Voigt were both two for four with Voigt driving in two runs. Each had one double.
As a team, the 'Cats had 12 hits, but the big key to the game was seven Bobcat errors.
Bryan Duncan (Seattle, Wash.) started the game on the mound for the Bobcats and pitched 2.1 innings giving up seven hits, seven runs, and six earned runs. Duncan struck out two. In relief,
Tim Crawford (Omaha) pitched three innings allowing just one hit, but gave up four runs, none of which were earned. Crawford struck out three.
Lincoln Mansch (Missoula, Mont.) pitched two-thirds of the sixth inning just giving up one hit.
Danny Borst (Moreno Valley, Calif.) pitched the last two innings and was tagged with the loss. Borst gave up four hits, one run which was the winning run, and struck out two.
GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Next Action
Peru State will be travelling back to Oklahoma next weekend where they are scheduled to play three double-headers. On Friday, Feb. 10, the Bobcats will be facing the host Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla., for two seven-inning games beginning at 1 p.m.
On Saturday, PSC will face McPherson College (Kan.) in Bethany with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Then, on Sunday, the 'Cats will play Southern Nazarene again starting at 1 p.m.
The Bobcats first home games are scheduled for Monday, Feb. 20, beginning at 1 p.m. against Dakota State University (S.D.). All Bobcat baseball games are free admission.
