(Peru, Neb.) – In 35 degree weather, the Peru State baseball team won two games on Saturday, both in shut-out fashion with some excellent pitching over the visiting Culver-Stockton College Wildcats. The Bobcats took the first game 3-0 and then won the second game 11-0 with the game shortened to seven innings due to the mercy rule.

With the double header sweep, the Bobcats improved to 14-5 overall and 5-1 in Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) play. Culver-Stockton fell to 2-4 in the HAAC and 9-12 overall.

Game One Action

The only runs scored in the first game all came in the bottom of the third inning although the Bobcats had left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second.

In the bottom of the third, Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) singled to left-center. Tommy Barnes (Cusseta, Ga.) reached on a Wildcat error with Santiesteban moving to second. Seth Walston (Hemet, Calif.) singled up the middle to load the bases. Michael Melendez (Hollywood, Fla.) doubled to deep left driving in Santiesteban and Barnes with Walston moving to third. When Jake Wright (Freeport, Fla.) ground out, Walston was able to score. At the end of three complete innings, Peru State led 3-0.
The Wildcats never posed a threat in the first game as the Bobcats went on to the 3-0 victory.

Peru State scored its three runs on five hits and committed one error. Culver-Stockton only managed to get one hit and committed three miscues.

Santiesteban went two for three in hitting to lead Peru State while Melendez led the team with two RBI.

Miguel Navarro (San Jacinto, Calif.) allowed just one hit in seven innings as he earned his fourth win of the season. Melendez was nearly perfect as he did not walk any Wildcat and struck out six.
CULVER-STOCKTON GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Game Two Action

The Bobcat pitching was nearly as good as it was in the first game as Culver-Stockton could not score in the second game. However, the Bobcat bats came alive in the second game.

In the bottom of the first, Tyler Croushorn (Omaha) got on base with a walk. Croushorn would go to second as Joshua Alonzo (Riverside, Calif.) laid down a sacrifice bunt. Santiesteban reached on a walk. After the second out of the inning, Seth Walston (Hemet, Calif.) singled up the middle to load the bases. Michael Melendez (Hollywood, Fla.) singled to shallow center to bring in both Croushorn and Santiesteban to make it 2-0. On the play, Walston had advanced to third and he scored on a wild throw to put Peru State up 3-0. Melendez would go all the way to third on the error and would later score when Wright tripled down the right field line. At the end of the first, Peru State led 4-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bobcats would add another run. Melendez started the inning with a walk and went to second as Wright put down a sacrifice bunt. Derrick Davis (Orange Park, Fla.) singled to shallow left moving Melendez to third. On Kadyn Glass's (Redlands, Calif.) sacrifice fly to left, Melendez scored giving the Bobcats a 5-0 advantage.

Peru State would tack on some more runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Alonzo reached with a walk and after the first out of the inning, he would go to second on the defense's indifference. Barnes singled up the middle to drive in Alonzo. Walston followed with a triple down the right field line with Barnes scoring to make it 7-0. Walston would come in to score on a wild throw giving Peru State an 8-0 lead. Melendez would single and then go to second when Wright had an infield single. After the second out of the inning, Glass singled thru the hole at shortstop with Melendez scoring, making it 9-0 Peru State.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats would get on the board again. Alonzo got on base with a walk and went to second when Santiesteban singled. On the play, Alonzo advanced to third on the throw with Santiesteban moving to second. Barnes would ground out, but Alonzo was able to score and Santiesteban went to third. Walston's sacrifice fly to center allowed Santiesteban to score putting Peru State on top 11-0, the eventual final score.

Walston and Wright each had two hits to lead Peru State. Barnes, Walston, and Melendez each had two RBI.