(Peru, Neb.) – It was a battle of number one versus number three.  And number three won! 
 
The Peru State College (PSC) Bobcat baseball team came into the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) as the third-seeded team from the Western Division.   Because of the seed, the Bobcats had to face the top-seeded Eastern Division team – the Evangel University Crusaders – in the first round of the HAAC tournament.  The 'Cats gained the first round win 6-0 over Evangel in action at the Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
With the win, Peru State will be facing Central Methodist University at 7 p.m. Thursday evening.  The Eagles topped MidAmerica Nazarene University 6-5 to gain the spot versus PSC.
 
Evangel Game Action
 
The Crusaders had opportunities to potentially score in both the first and second innings, but the Bobcat defense was able to snuff out the possible runs.
 
In the top of the third, Peru State scored their first runs of the game.


Brenden Gentry (Sallisaw, Okla.) singled thru the hole at second base.  Gustavo Arcia (Caracas, Venezuela) reached base on a walk, advancing Gentry to second.  Following the first out of the inning, Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.) singled to left scoring Gentry with Arcia staying at second.  Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) stepped to the plate and delivered a single to shallow left with Arcia coming home for the second run of the inning.  Castillo stayed at second, but on a single to right by Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha), Castillo scored the Bobcats' third and final run of the inning.
 
While the three runs would prove to be all PSC would need in the game, the Bobcats added additional runs in the fourth and fifth innings. 
 
J.L. Thomason (Holt, Fla.) doubled to deep left-center to start the fourth.  Gentry was hit by pitch to put runners on first and second.  Thomason was forced out at third on a fielder's choice as Arcia bunted and reached first.  After the next out, Castillo singled down the left-field line allowing Gentry to score to make it 4-0 PSC.


 After the first out of the fifth, Fredrickson singled to shallow left-center and Mitch Roberts (Blue Springs) came in as a pinch runner for Fredrickson.  Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) reached first on a Crusader error and Roberts went to second.  Thomason singled down the right-field line driving in Roberts to put the 'Cats up 5-0.  Voigt had advanced on the play to third and later came home when Gentry laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt making it 6-0 Peru State.
 
Peru State had additional opportunities to score in each of the remaining innings, but did not.  However, good Bobcat pitching and defense stopped Evangel from scoring.
 
Fredrickson and Thomason each had three hits and one RBI in the win.  Castillo and Voigt each had two hits with Castillo driving in two RBI.
 
Will Scott (Defuniak Springs, Fla.) was a dominant force on the mound.  After giving up three hits in the first two innings, Scott settled down and gave up only two hits the final seven innings to get the big tournament first win.   Scott only had two strikeouts, but was able to get the Crusaders to keep most things in the infield and was helped by some good defense by all of the 'Cats.  For Scott, that was his ninth win of the year.  The win moved Scott solely into second place in the single season top ten for victories behind only Monte Scott who pitched in 2002. 
 
For the Bobcats, it was the eighth shutout of the year, which has shattered the previous best team record of five shutouts, which was set by the 1994 team.
 
With a win over Central Methodist on Thursday, the Bobcats would face the winner between Avila University and MidAmerica Nazarene University at noon on Friday.  With a loss, PSC would move into the consolation bracket and would face the winner of Graceland University versus Evangel at 3:30 on Friday.  This would mean a potential second game for PSC on Friday as the second consolation bracket game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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