After not being able to play for 15 days, the Peru State softball team did not show any rust as they traveled to York College on Thursday and swept a double header from the Panthers.
The Bobcats won the first game 14-2 in five and took the second game 5-0. With the wins, Peru State brought its season record to 2-2. York fell to 0-9 in the early season.
Neither team scored in the first inning, but in the top of the second inning, the 'Cats exploded for six runs.
Cheyenne Dalrymple (Stockton, Calif.) got on base as she was hit by a pitch.
Molly Holbrook (Lincoln) doubled to left-center to drive in Dalrymple for the first run.
Halle Holloway (Waco) reached first on a fielder's choice.
Sydney Webb (Lincoln) singled to left with the runners advancing one base. With the bases loaded,
Jordan Walker (Peyton, Colo.) was walked, forcing in the second run.
Toni Blackwell (Papillion) also drew a walk, bringing home the third run of the inning.
Abbie Moser (Lincoln) singled to shallow center, scoring Webb, and making it 4-0 Peru State.
Traci Bohlmeyer (Fairbury) reached on a fielder's choice, but Walker was forced out for the first out of the inning. With the bases still loaded, York threw a wild pitch allowing Blackwell to score and the other runners advancing.
Anna O'Gorman (Omaha) grounded out, but Moser was able to score the sixth run of the inning.
York would get on the board in the bottom of the third inning as the Panthers scored two runs to cut the lead to 6-2.
In the top of the fourth, after the first out of the inning, Blackwell double to shallow left and eventually scored on a wild throw. On a 0-0 count, Moser hit an inside-the-park home run and Peru State led 8-2 at that point. Bohlmeyer followed with a single and after the second out, she advanced to second as Dalrymple singled to center. Holbrook brought both runners home as she doubled to left-center. At the end of the top half of the fourth, Peru State led 10-2.
After the 'Cats held York scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, Peru State would tack on additional runs in the top of the fifth.
Webb reached on a walk and advanced to second with a stolen base. After two outs, Moser singled to right, driving in Webb, making it 11-2. Bohlmeyer followed with a single up the middle with Moser advancing to second. O'Gorman would also single, driving in Moser with Bohlmeyer advancing to second. Dalrymple singled to the pitcher's mound and all runners were safe. With the bases loaded, York brought in a new pitcher who gave up a single to Holbrook, which drove in both Bohlmeyer and O'Gorman, giving Peru State a 14-2 lead.
An out would later follow, but the 'Cats had enough of a lead that after holding the Panthers scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, the mercy rule was applied and the game was over.
Peru State scored its 14 runs on 13 hits and committed two errors. York managed its two runs on six hits while having one error.
Moser and Holbrook each had three hits to lead the team while Bohlmeyer and Dalrymple each added two. Holbrook led the team with five RBI while Moser added three.
Lauren Johnson (Seward) was the winning pitcher as she threw a five-inning complete game. Johnson scattered six hits and gave up two runs – neither earned. Johnson struck out two.
YORK GAME ONE
Second Game Action
In the second game, the Bobcats got on board first in the top of the first inning. After the first two batters were out, O'Gorman reached on a walk. Dalrymple would single with O'Gorman moving to second. Holbrook followed with a single, driving in O'Gorman. Eventually, Peru State would have the bases loaded, but they were all left on base.
After keeping York off the board in the bottom of the first, the 'Cats would added another run in the top of the second.
Rebecca Perez (Phoenix) started the inning by singling to shallow center. Perez moved to second on a stolen base and later went to third as the next batter grounded out. As Moser grounded out, Perez would score and after one and one-half innings, the Bobcats led 2-0.
Neither team would score in the third, but, Peru State would add some insurance runs in the top of the fourth inning.
After the first out of the inning, Holloway singled to third and would advance to second with a stolen base. After another out, Holloway advanced to third on a York wild pitch.
Jenna Gruber (Lincoln) then doubled to right with Holloway scoring to make it 3-0 Peru State. Moser then singled to left, scoring Gruber, and advancing to second on the throw. The Bobcats then led 4-0 at the close of their half-inning.
Peru State would tack on an additional run in the top of the fifth. O'Gorman started things off with a single to center and then went to second when Dalrymple singled thru the hole at shortstop. After a strikeout, Webb reached base on a Panther bobble, which loaded the bases. Holloway would ground out, but O'Gorman scored, giving the Bobcats a 5-0 lead.
While the 'Cats would not score again, they kept York from scoring at all during the game and eventually captured the sweep.
Dalrymple had three hits to lead the team while Gruber added two hits. Moser led the team with two RBI.
Devon Massengale (Elkhorn) pitched the entire seven innings to win her first game of the 2014 season. Massengale scattered four hits and gave up no runs while striking out seven.
With her win, Massengale moved into a tie for fourth in Bobcat career victories with 36, tying Andrea Tee, who pitched for Peru State in 1995-96. Massengale's seven strikeouts on the day moved her into second all-time with 273, moving her ahead of Tabitha Foster, who pitched from 2004-2007. Massengale only trails Hall of Famer Erin (O'Grady) Sayer, who finished her career with 285 K's.
YORK GAME TWO
Upcoming Games
The Bobcats traveled to Tucson this weekend to participate in the Tucson Invitational Games. The 'Cats will be playing three games a day for five consecutive days before returning home to host a double header with the University of St. Mary from Leavenworth, Kan. Game time for the first game at the Centennial Complex Field is 1 p.m.
