While the weather was nice for most of the trip, the Tucson Invitational Games proved to be tough for the Peru State Bobcat softball team. While playing nine games, including two against ranked opponents, the 'Cats came home winless and are starting the 2013 season with a nine-game losing streak. Many of the teams had played numerous contests prior to the tournament, thus having an advantage over the Bobcats.
It was a pitcher's duel in Peru State's first game in the Tucson Invitational, which saw the Bobcats fall to the Great Falls University (Mont.) 1-0. For the 'Cats, it was their first game of the year, but for Great Falls, it was their fourteenth game as they improved to 8-6 on the season.
Peru State managed to get only three hits in the game, two of which came from lead-off hitter,
Traci Bohlmeyer (Fairbury). Bohlmeyer also stole a base in the game. The Bobcats' other hit came off the bat of
Samantha Walker (Peyton, Colo.).
Lauren Johnson (Seward) took the loss after pitching a good game. Johnson gave up six hits, one earned run, and struck out four.
GREAT FALLS BOX SCORE
Calumet (Ind.) 3-5
Calumet jumped to a lead by scoring two in the bottom of the first and third to take a 4-0 lead. It would be the top of the sixth before Peru State would get on the board for one run, making it 4-1. However, Calumet added four more in the bottom half of the inning to go up 8-1. The 'Cats would add two in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough as Calumet won 8-3.
Emily Maresh (Central City) went two of three to lead Peru State.
Kristen Bodyk (Paris, Ontario, Canada) and Bohlmeyer were each credited for one RBI.
Devon Massengale (Elkhorn) was tagged for the loss after pitching five innings. Massengale gave up six hits, six runs – three earned, and struck out one.
Trista Hutchings (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada) pitched one inning, giving up three hits and two earned runs.
CALUMET BOX SCORE
William Penn (Iowa) 3-6
All of the runs scored in this game occurred in two one-half innings. Peru State scored five to go up on the nationally-ranked Lady Statesmen in the bottom of the third. Then, in the top of the fifth, William Penn exploded for ten runs, and went on to win 10-5.
Abbie Moser (Lincoln) led the team with two hits in four at bats. Bodyk and
Cheyenne Dalrymple (Stockton, Calif.) each were credited with one RBI.
Massengale started on the mound and went four and two-thirds innings, giving up eight hits, six runs – all earned, and struck out one. Hutchings came in to relieve Massengale and was tagged for three hits, four runs – three earned, and did not get an out. Johnson pitched the final two and one-third innings and did not allow any hits or runs. Massengale was tagged with the loss.
WILLIAM PENN BOX SCORE
Robert Morris (Ill.) 3-6
This was an even game throughout as both teams scored two in the first to be tied at 2-2. Robert Morris would add two in the top of the third to go up, 4-2, but the 'Cats would add one in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-3. Robert Morris added one more in the fourth, making it 5-3, but Peru State took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning, 7-5. With one in each of the fifth and sixth, Robert Morris knotted it at 7-7. But, the Bobcats regained the lead with one in the bottom of the sixth, at 8-7. However, Robert Morris pushed two across in the top of the seventh and held the 'Cats scoreless in the bottom of the inning to prevail 9-8.
Dalrymple was three for three to lead Peru State. Moser added two hits and two RBI.
Samantha Walker and
Miranda Lyndes (Peyton, Colo.) each had two RBI.
Hutchings pitched the entire game, throwing seven innings. Hutchings gave up nine hits, nine runs – seven earned, and struck out two.
ROBERT MORRIS BOX SCORE
Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) 3-6
Playing against the 12
th-ranked Olivet Nazarene University, the Bobcats could not string anything together and lost 9-0 in five innings.
Bohlmeyer was two of three to lead Peru State.
Johnson pitched four and two-thirds innings, giving up six hits, eight runs – all earned, and two strikeouts.
OLIVET NAZARENE BOX SCORE
Aquinas University (Mich.) 3-7
After scoring two in the top of the third, the Bobcats were not able to hold onto their 2-0 lead. Aquinas came back to tie it in the bottom of the fourth and then went ahead with two more in the bottom of fifth to capture the 4-2 win.
The 'Cats scored their two runs on six hits, but had trouble as they committed seven errors, something uncommon for Peru State.
Toni Blackwell (Papillion) went two of three to lead Peru State in hitting and scored one run.
Toni Moffatt (Morden, Alberta, Canada) and
Emily Maresh each had one RBI with one hit. Maresh's hit was a double.
Massengale was on the mound, pitching six innings, giving up five hits, four runs – only one earned, and had one strikeout.
AQUINAS BOX SCORE
Ashford University (Iowa) 3-7
The Bobcats let the game with Ashford get away from them as Ashford scored three in the top of the seventh to knot it up at 5-5, forcing extra innings. Ashford scored first, getting one run in the top of the first, but Peru State scored all five of its runs in the bottom of inning and held that advantage until the seventh. Ashford added one run in the third, making it 5-2, before tying it in the seventh. Then, in the ninth inning, Ashford scored two and held Peru State scoreless, and won 7-5.
Maresh and Moffatt each had two hits to lead Peru State. Maresh added two RBI while Moser added one.
Johnson pitched the entire nine innings, giving up 12 hits, seven runs – all earned, and struck out two.
ASHFORD BOX SCORE
Northwestern College (Iowa) 3-8
The Red Raiders one-hit the Bobcats on their way to a 4-0 win in the final day of the tournament for Peru State.
Bodyk got the lone hit in the loss.
Massengale threw seven innings, giving up six hits, four earned runs and struck out three.
NORTHWESTERN BOX SCORE
Viterbo University (Wis.) 3-8
In their last game in Tucson, Peru State took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Viterbo would go on top 2-1 in the third, but the 'Cats knotted it at 2-2 in the fourth. Four runs in the top of the fifth by Viterbo would prove to be too much for the Bobcats as they eventually fell 6-2.
Bohlymeyer again led the team in hitting, going two of three.
Johnson went the distance and was tagged for the loss. Johnson gave up ten hits, six runs – two earned, and struck out eight.
VITERBO BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
Mother Nature has forced the postponement of the Bobcats' first home game which was scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, against Midland University.
On Wednesday, Peru State will travel to Ottawa, Kan., to face the Ottawa University Braves, with the double header scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
This Friday and Saturday, Peru State will participate in the Sterling (Kan.) Invitational. They will play three games on Friday and two on Saturday. On Friday, the Bobcats will face Kansas Wesleyan at 10 a.m., Sterling College at 2 p.m., and Tabor College at 4 p.m. Then, on Saturday, the 'Cats will take on McPherson College at 10 a.m. and will finish the tournament against Friends University at noon. The tournament will be held in Hutchinson, Kan.
Peru State will be on the road for a number of games the following week and will not be back home until playing Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) foe, Culver-Stockton College, on March 29.
