(Peru, Neb.) – After the Bobcat pitching corps struggled on the mound on Tuesday against Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) at home, they regained their focus on Wednesday, March 14.
Peru State College (PSC) travelled to Lincoln to face the Prairie Wolves on their home turf and it was a completely different story as the 'Cats shut out NWU 10-0. With the win, PSC improves to 13-5 while Wesleyan falls to 1-5.
Game Action
The Bobcats wasted no time scoring in their second game with NWU. After the first out of the inning,
Tyler Croushorn (Omaha) singled through the right side.
Jeff Eubank (Fort Pierce, Fla.) followed with a double to right center driving in Croushorn. After another PSC out,
Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) singled through the left side and Eubank scored. Voigt then stole first base and came home as
Brenden Gentry (Sallisaw, Okla.) singled to center field. Another Bobcat out ended the inning, but not before PSC had scored three runs on four hits.
Peru State added another run in the top of second inning.
Gio Todaro (Miami, Fla.) reached base on a Prairie Wolves' error and
Mitch Roberts (Blue Springs) came in to run for Todaro. Roberts advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and eventually came home on a Croushorn double. At the end of two, it was PSC 4-0.
After not scoring in the third, the 'Cats added more runs in the top of the fourth.
Philip Lial (Las Vegas, Nev.) was hit by a pitch and later went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Todaro. Lial would score when
Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) doubled down the left field line.
Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.) singled through the left side and Santiesteban went to third. Castillo then stole second and both Santiesteban and Castillo scored when Croushorn singled to center field.
That would be the end of the scoring for Peru State in the inning, but going into the bottom half of the fourth, the Bobcats had a 7-0 advantage.
In the sixth, PSC added two more runs. After the first out, Eubank reached on a fielding error and later went to second on a wild pitch. Voigt drilled a double down the left field line scoring Eubank for the first run of the inning. Gentry and Lial both walked to load the bases. Another walk was issued to Todaro which drove in Voigt. In the inning, the 'Cats scored two runs on just one hit and one NWU error and left the bases loaded.
Castillo started things in the seventh with a single to second base and went to second on another error by the Prairie Wolves. On a failed pickoff attempt, Castillo advanced to third. Croushorn hit a sacrifice fly to right, which scored Castillo, the tenth and final run of the game for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats scored their ten runs on 13 hits and committed no errors in Wednesday's game.
Both Croushorn and Voigt went three for four with Croushorn having a game-high four RBIs. Voigt added two RBIs in the 'Cats 13
th win of the year.
Austin Parker (Brighton, Colo.) pitched four strong innings to earn his first win of the season. Parker did not give up a hit and struck out three.
Timothy Patterson (Valdosta, Ga.) pitched two innings in relief and gave up just one hit and struck out one.
Aubrey Dezarn (Las Vegas, Nev.) pitched the final inning for PSC. Dezarn also gave up one hit and struck out two.
Upcoming Games
Peru State will begin its first Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) play this Saturday, March 17, when they travel to Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. Game time for the first pitch of the HAAC double header is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The 'Cats will return home on Wednesday, March 21, when they host another HAAC foe, Evangel University. The double header will start at 1 p.m. at the Centennial Complex Baseball Field.
On Saturday, March 24, the Bobcats will face Culver-Stockton College at home. The HAAC double header will begin at 1 p.m.
