(Peru, Neb.) – It was a sweet turn of events on Tuesday for the Peru State College (PSC) Bobcat baseball team.
Having dropped a pair of games they should have won a week ago against the visiting Avila University (AU) Eagles, the 'Cats turned the table when they took a double header this week. In the first game, the Bobcats won it in the bottom of the last inning 3-2 and then took the second game 8-6.
The two wins puts Peru State at 30-15 on the year and 14-10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC). It was the fifth and sixth straight wins for PSC. Avila, who had moved up to 22
nd in the most recent NAIA polls, dropped to 15-7 in the HAAC and 33-12 overall.
The Bobcats are presently third in the Western Division of the HAAC and are pretty much assured of a place in post-season play. Peru State only has to win one game this weekend or have Baker University lose one to guarantee the third seed for their division.
First Game Action
Avila struck first in the second inning by scoring two runs, both of which were unearned.
That lead held until the bottom of the sixth as both pitchers worked their way out of trouble on a couple of occasions.
In the bottom of the sixth, following the first out,
Jeff Eubank (Fort Pierce, Fla.) reached on a walk. Eubank went to second when
Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha) singled to shallow center.
Mitch Roberts (Blue Springs) came in to run for Fredrickson at that point. A strikeout followed before J. L. Thomason
(Holt, Fla.) singled to shallow center bringing home Eubank to cut the deficit to 2-1.
PSC shut down Avila in the top of the last inning to keep it close before their final turns at bat. The Bobcats' first batter struck out bringing
James Welty (Omaha) to the plate. Welty singled thru the hole at shortstop and was moved to second when
Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.) singled to short.
Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) stepped to the plate and the freshman produced a single to deep left-center for the game-winning RBI.
Thomason and Welty each had two hits. Thomason had one RBI with Santiesteban's lone hit providing two RBI for the win.
Austin Parker (Brighton, Colo.) started on the mound for PSC and threw six innings. Parker scattered five hits, gave up two runs – neither earned, and struck out six.
Danny Borst (Moreno Valley, Calif.) came in to relieve Parker in the top of the seventh and shut down the Eagles. Borst was credited with the win and picked up his second win of the season to improve to 2-2.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Second Game Action
Avila again struck first in the second game by scoring a run in the first inning and two in the top of the third to take a 3-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, PSC finally got on the board. Following the first out of the inning,
Tyler Croushorn (Omaha) singled to shallow center. Eubank followed with a home run over the right-field fence on a 1-0 count. For Eubank, it was his eighth homer of the year. At the end of three, it was Avila 3-2 over PSC.
The Eagles added a run in the top of the fourth to make it 4-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Thomason started things off with a single to right-center.
Gustavo Arcia (Caracas, Venezuela) bunted and reached first on a misplayed grounder by Avila with Thomason going to second. Welty also bunted and reached on a base hit to load things up for
Jonathan Arche (Miami, Fla.). Arche hit a sacrifice fly to left driving in Thomason to make it 4-3. Following another fly ball out, Croushorn reached base on a wild Eagle throw, which allowed Arcia to score to knot it up at 4-4. That would end the scoring for PSC as they eventually stranded three on base.
Neither team scored in the fifth and Avila, despite having two hits in the top of the sixth, was unable to regain the lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, PSC had its biggest inning of the day, and it all came after the first two outs of the inning. Croushorn was hit by a pitch to get on board and went to second on a wild pitch. Eubank singled thru the hole at second base. Croushorn scored in a tough collision at the home plate giving PSC a 5-4 lead. Eubank had gone to second on the throw home. Fredrickson was also hit by a pitch and was replaced by the Speed Racer (Roberts). Following a pitching change,
Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) singled thru the hole at shortstop driving in Eubank. Roberts went to third and Voigt also went to second on the throw. Another pitching change followed, and Thomason singled to center, which brought home both Roberts and Voigt. An out followed, but PSC had a four-run lead going into the final inning at 8-4.
Avila did still have some fire as they added two runs on three hits in the eighth inning, but it was not enough as PSC captured the 8-6 win.
Thomason had three hits and two RBI, while Eubank and Arcia each had two hits. Eubank was credited for three RBI.
Will Scott (Defuniak Springs, Fla.) struggled on occasion on the mound for PSC, but still gained the win as Scott pitched six innings. In getting his eighth win of the year, Scott gave up 11 hits, and four runs – all earned. In the six innings, Scott struck out five Eagle batters.
Voigt pitched the seventh inning and gave up three hits, two runs-both earned, but gained the save. The save was Voigt's second of the year.
GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
The Bobcats head to Marshall, Mo., on Saturday, April 28, for the final HAAC double header of the regular season. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
With one win, the 'Cats assure themselves of post-season tournament play which will begin next Wednesday, May 2, at the Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo. Final pairings will be determined following the conclusion of the regular season play this weekend.
