(Peru, Neb.) – They had to come from behind to win, but that is what the Peru State College (PSC) Bobcats did to win their first game in the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round Series.

The 'Cats scored three in the bottom of the eighth to regain the lead at 5-3 and then kept Grand View University (Iowa) from scoring in the top of the ninth to grab the win in Paducah, Ky.

With the win, the Bobcats advance to a 6:30 p.m. match-up with LSU-Shreveport, the top team in the NAIA who come into the regional with a 48-4 record.  PSC is now 36-16 while Grand View fell to 27-28 and will play the loser of the second game of the regional at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Grand View – Peru State Game Action

Grand View scored one in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead before the 'Cats batted in the bottom half of the inning.

Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.) singled to right to start things off for PSC.  Following the first out of the inning, Jeff Eubank (Fort Pierce, Fla.) reached on a walk moving Castillo to second.  Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha) reached first on a fielder's choice, which combined with an error, allowed Castillo to score and Eubank to advance to second.  Mitch Roberts (Blue Springs) came in to run for Fredrickson and later was out as Derek Voigt (Auburn) reached on another fielder's choice with Eubank going to third.  J.L. Thomason (Holt, Fla.) singled to right driving in Eubank to make it 2-1 PSC.  The Bobcats were not able to score any more, but had gained the lead.

Five scoreless innings by both teams on good pitching and defense took them into the seventh inning where Grand View tied the score in their half at 2-2.

In the eighth, Grand View took their first lead of the game at 3-2 before Peru State rallied in the bottom of the inning. 

Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) singled to right to start the inning.  Following an out, Fredrickson was hit by a pitch and Santiesteban went to second.  Roberts entered again to run for Fredrickson.  A walk was issued to Voigt to load the bases.  After a pitching change, Thomason singled to center with Santiesteban scoring to tie it at 3-3.  Brenden Gentry (Sallisaw, Okla.) followed with a single to right field bringing home both Roberts and Voigt to put PSC on top 5-3.  While that would be it for the PSC scoring, the lead held as the Bobcats shut Grand View down in the top of the ninth.


Thomason went three for four and had two RBI to lead Peru State.  Gentry was two for three with two RBI.

Will Scott (Defuniak Springs, Fla.) pitched a complete game for his tenth win of the season.  Scott scattered nine hits, gave up three runs – two earned, and struck out three.

GAME BOX SCORE

Upcoming Action

Thursday night, PSC will face LSU-Shreveport for the right to advance to the 2 p.m. game on Friday.  The winner will take on the winner of the game between Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Bellevue University (Neb.).

The loser of the game will play Friday night at 6:30 p.m.   They would face the winner of Grand View versus Lindsey Wilson/Bellevue loser.