(Peru, Neb.) – After winning their first two games of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Championship Series and then falling in their third game, the Peru State baseball team is still alive with a chance to make the NAIA Baseball Championship Tournament.
 
The Bobcats started with a 4-1 win over Central Methodist University on Thursday and followed with a 3-1 victory over Evangel University Friday night.  Then, late on Saturday afternoon, the 'Cats dropped a 3-0 contest at the hands of the top-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) Pioneers.
 
The loss to MNU dropped the Bobcats into the elimination bracket where they will face the Culver-Stockton Wildcats on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. on Monday in Joplin, Mo. 
 
The tournament is being held at Wendell Redden Stadium in the Joplin Athletic Complex.
 
Thursday – Central Methodist University Game Action
 
The game with the Eagles started out as a pitcher's duel as neither team scored until the fourth inning when Central Methodist University would score what would be their only run of the game.
 
It wouldn't be until the top of the sixth before Peru State got on the scoreboard, but the Bobcats did so in a big way. 
Josh Alonzo (Riverside, Calif.) started the inning with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch.  After the first out of the inning, Mike Melendez (Hollywood, Fla.) tripled to deep left-center to score Alonzo to tie the game at 1-1. 

(San Jacinto, Calif.) threw a complete game for the win.  While Navarro allowed nine hits, he only gave up one earned run and struck out eight.


 
Saturday – MidAmerica Nazarene University Game Action
 
After having their game delayed by nearly 90 minutes Saturday as the game prior went 11 innings, the Bobcats never could plate a run, despite leaving base runners on in seven of the nine innings.
 
The Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the second and added an additional run in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-0 win.
 
Peru State actual outhit MNU with 11 hits and committed no errors.  The Pioneers scored their three runs on ten hits.
 
Kadyn Glass (Redlands, Calif.), Melendez, Santiesteban, and Walston each had two hits with Walston having a double.
 
Manny Arciniega (Hemet, Calif.) threw a complete game and took the loss.  Arciniega went eight innings while allowing ten hits, three earned runs, and struck out five.

MNU BOX SCORE
 
Upcoming Game(s)
 
The Bobcats will face Culver-Stockton College on Monday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game with the loser going home and the winner advancing to face the undefeated Pioneers at 4 p.m.  In addition, the winner of the elimination game will earn the HAAC's second bid to the NAIA National Tournament.  MNU has already qualified for the national tournament as they won the regular season title.
 
Currently, Peru State is 32-18 on the season while the Wildcats are 28-25.  Back in March, the Bobcats swept Culver-Stockton at home 3-0 and 11-0.  However, since that time the Wildcats have gone 19-13.
 
If the Bobcats face MNU and defeat them Monday at 4 p.m., a championship game will be played on Tuesday at 1 p.m. as the tournament is a double-elimination format.