(Peru, Neb.) – The brooms were out again for the second straight weekend as the Peru State baseball team captured another key four-game Heart of America Athletic Conference series. The Bobcats swept the home-standing Benedictine College Ravens on Thursday and Saturday to take a substantial lead in conference play.
 
Three of the four games were not close with Saturday's opener seeing the 'Cats rally from three down to capture the win. With the four-game sweep, Peru State improves to 25-8 overall and 15-1 in the Heart.  The Ravens fell to 11-21 overall and are still tied for the third best mark in the conference with an 8-6 record.
 
Thursday – Benedictine Game One Action
 
 

Going into the bottom of the seventh, Peru State had a no hitter going, but the Ravens did manage a hit, but could not score during the contest. The Bobcats would score their runs in the top of the second and the top of the seventh in route to a 5-0 win.
 
In the top half of the second, Adam Quintana (Highland, Calif.) singled to right-center to start the inning and went to second on a passed ball. Seth Walston (Hemet, Calif.) reached on a walk as did Mark McGinnity (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) which loaded the bases. Jordan Silva (Lynnwood, Wash.) singled thru the hole at shortstop with Quintana scoring the first run of the game for Peru State. Chase Phillips (Highland, Calif.) would follow with a single in the same location and Walston scored and the bases were still loaded. On a double play, McGinnity scored and the 'Cats led 3-0 at that point.
 
Five innings later, Peru State would add some insurance runs. Joshua Alonzo (Riverside, Calif.) doubled deep down the left field line and would come home when Kyle Killen (Commerce City, Colo.) hit a home run over the left field fence on a 2-2 count. The Bobcats could have added more runs, but the 5-0 lead was enough for the win.
 
Peru State scored their five runs on 12 hits and had no errors. The Ravens only were allowed one hit and also did not commit an error.
 
Walston went three for three to lead the Bobcats while Killen and Quintana each adding two hits. Killen led the team with two RBI while Silva and Phillips each adding one.
 
Miguel Navarro (San Jacinto, Calif.) pitched the one-hit shutout for the win in a complete game. Navarro struck out one Raven batter while winning his fourth game of the season.

THURSDAY GAME ONE GAMEBOOK
 
Thursday – Benedictine Game Two Action
 
While the Ravens managed four hits in the second game of the series, they were not able to score as Peru State claimed a 6-0 victory.
 
The Bobcats did not get on the board until the third inning. Silva started the inning with a single thru the hole at shortstop and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Marshall Klontz (Auburn, Wash.). Alonzo doubled to deep right-center with Silva scoring on the play which would be the only run of the inning putting the 'Cats on top 1-0.
 
Peru State would add more runs in the top of the third. Quintana doubled to deep left-center with Sontag entering to run for him after the play. On a wild pitch, Sontag went to third. Walston reached with a walk and then stole second. McGinnity reached on a walk to load the bases. On a Raven error, Sontag scored and Walston advanced to third. Silva hit a sacrifice bunt and Walston score with McGinnity moving to second. Klontz singled to left-center and McGinnity scored. Klontz moved to second on a bobble by Benedictine. On Alonzo's double, Klontz scored and after three and one-half innings, the 'Cats led 5-0.
 
The Bobcats would add an insurance run in the top of the sixth. McGinnity doubled deep down the left field line. After the first out, McGinnity would score when Klontz singled to right making it 6-0 Peru State which would end up being the final score.
 
 

The 'Cats scored their six runs on eight hits and had one error. Benedictine managed four hits and had three miscues.
 
Alonzo went three for three and had two RBI. Klontz added two hits and two RBI.
 
Quintana was on the mound for the Bobcats and picked up his fourth win against no losses for Peru State. Quintana allowed just four hits and struck out nine in the win.

THURSDAY GAME TWO GAMEBOOK
 
Saturday – Benedictine Game One Action
 
What turned out to be the only close game of the series happened in Saturday's opener although the Bobcats jumped out to an early lead in the game.
 
Peru State scored five runs in the top of the second inning to gain the early lead. Scout Villanueva (Bakersfield, Calif.) singled to second to start the inning with Brandon Melendez (Miramar, Fla.) entered to run for him. On Quintana's single, Melendez moved to second. Walston followed with a single and Melendez score with Quintana stopping at second. McGinnity followed with a home run over the left field fence on a 1-0 count and suddenly the Bobcats led 4-0. Silva reached with a walk and went to second on a stolen base. Klontz reached on a walk and then was part of a double-play which allowed Silva to move to third. Killen singled to bring Silva home and Peru State led 5-0 at that point.
 
It would be in 18^th inning of the series before Benedictine would get on the board. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Ravens scored two to cut the lead to 5-2.

 
In the top of the fifth, Villanueva reached on a walk and Melendez entered to run for him. Melendez would go to second on Quintana's sacrifice bunt and later went to third when Walston reached on a bunt. McGInnity hit a sacrifice fly to center and Melendez score to put Peru State up 6-2.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Benedictine would score four runs to knot the game at 6-6. After the 'Cats could not score in the top of the sixth, the Ravens added three runs to take their first and only lead of the four games at 9-6.
 
What happened in the top of the seventh was a two-out rally for Peru State. Facing their first loss of the series, after two outs, Quintana singled thru the hole at shortstop to start the rally for the Bobcats. Quintana went to second base with a steal and then Walston hit a home run over the center field fence on a full count and the 'Cats were within one at 9-8. McGinnity kept the rally going with a single to left-center with Sontag coming in to pinch run for McGInnity. Silva stepped to the plate and hit his first Bobcat home run over the center field fence on a 2-0 count and Peru State led 10-9.
 
Benedictine did manage to get a runner in scoring position on third base with two outs, but the last Raven batter flied out to deep center.
 
The Bobcats scored their ten runs on 13 hits and had no errors. Benedictine scored their nine runs on 12 hits and also did not have any errors.
 
 

Walston and McGinnity each had three this while Villanueva and Quintana each contributing two hits. McGinnity led the team with four RBI while Walston and Silva added three and two RBI respectively.
 
Manny Arciniega (Hemet, Calif.) started the game for Peru State and went through five innings. Arciniega allowed nine hits, six earned runs, and struck out seven. Daniel Muniz (Miami, Fla.) allowed one earned run while not getting an out in relief of Arciniega. Timothy Patterson (Valdosta, Ga.) came in after Muniz and allowed three hits and two earned runs. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth and just one out, Angus Miller (Fontana, Calif.) came in to replace Patterson and was able to get the Ravens to hit in to a double play to end the inning. Miller would be credited for the win, his third of the season. Walston tossed the seventh inning and did not allow a hit and struck out one for the save.

SATURDAY GAME ONE GAMEBOOK
 
Saturday – Benedictine Game Two Action
 
After the tight one in the first game, Peru State turned up the heat in the second game and ended blasting the Ravens 22-1. The Bobcats collected 23 hits in the win, just one shy of the all-time mark which previously has happened twice. Nineteen different Bobcats played in the game with 18 batting in the route.  The 22 runs were the most since March of 2013 when Peru State scored 24 against Manhattan Christian College.
 
In the top of the first, Peru State got on the scoreboard for one run. Killen homered for the second time in the series, this time over the left field fence on a full count to give the 'Cat a 1-0 lead.

 
Then, in the top of the second, the Bobcats got started when Walston singled to thru the hole at shortstop. McGinnity was hit by a pitch which moved Walston to second. Silva reached on a fielder's choice as McGinnity was thrown out. Phillips reached on a walk to load the bases. On Alonzo's sacrifice fly, Walston scored to make it 2-0. Killen followed with a single and Silva scored. Phillips later went to third on a wild throw. Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) singled to left to drive in Phillips with Killen stopping at second. Villanueva singled to deep right-center which scored Killen with Santiesteban advancing to third. Melendez entered to pinch run for Villanueva. Quintana doubled to deep right-center and both Santiesteban and Melendez scored. That would be the end of the scoring, but after one and one-half innings, Peru State was in control 7-0.
 
The route was on after the top half of the fourth inning. Killen was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Santiesteban singled with Killen stopping at second. After the first out, Quintana singled to center with Killen scoring and Santiesteban stopping at second. Walston followed with a home run over the center field fence on a 1-2 count and at that point, Peru State led 11-0. McGinnity reached with a walk and went to second when Grant Hindman (Omaha) singled to right-center. After the second out, both base runners advanced on a passed ball. Alonzo then walked to load the bases. In his second time at the plate in the inning, Killen singled to bring McGinnity and Hindman home with Alonzo reaching third on the play. Santiesteban reached on a walk and again the bases were loaded. After a pitching change, Villanueva doubled to deep left-center allowing Alonzo and Killen to score with Santiesteban now on third. Melendez entered again to run for Villanueva at that point. Quintana followed with his second single of the inning and Santiesteban and Melendez both scored. At the end of the inning, the Bobcats had scored ten runs on seven hits and left one on base.
 
That would not be the end of the scoring for Peru State as they added more runs in the top of the fifth. Melendez entered to pinch hit for McGinnity and reached on a walk. On a ground out, Melendez went to second. Phillips followed with a home run over the center field fence on a 1-2 count and the 'Cats led 19-0. Alonzo tripled to deep right-center and would come home when Kenny Bias (Raytown, Mo.) grounded out while batting for Killen. Navarro entered to pinch hit for Santiesteban and reached base on a Raven error. Santiesteban re-entered to run for Navarro. Villanueva singled up the middle with Santiesteban stopping at second. Klontz followed with a single and the bases were loaded with Sontag running for Villanueva. Arciniega singled to shallow center with Santiesteban scoring and keeping the bases loaded. For Arciniega, it was his first career hit and first RBI. Melendez followed with another single and Sontag scored the fifth and final run of the inning and the game for Peru State. At that point, the 'Cats led 22-0.
 
 

The Bobcats had opportunities to add more runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but did not plate any runs.
 
Benedictine did manage to score a run in the bottom of the sixth to avoid the goose egg for the third time in the four-game series.
 
Peru State scored their 22 runs on 23 hits and did not have any errors. The Ravens scored their one run on three hits and had two miscues.
 
Eleven different Bobcats collected a hit in the win with Santiesteban going four for four with four runs and one RBI to lead the team. Killen, Villanueva, and Quintana each added three hits with Quintana having five RBI and Killen adding four. Walston's two hits gave have three RBI.
 
Luke Schneider (Monument, Colo.) threw a complete game for his fourth win of the season. Schneider allowed just three hits, one earned run, and struck out nine.

SATURDAY GAME TWO GAMEBOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats will have three non-conference games this week before getting back into Heart play this coming weekend.
 
On Monday, the 'Cats will travel to Midland University for a double header scheduled to start at 1 p.m. The Warriors from the Great Plains Athletic Conference are 16-23 on the season after splitting a pair of games with the Bobcats' next opponent, Nebraska Wesleyan University.

 
The Prairie Wolves will be in Peru on Wednesday for one nine-inning game beginning at 3 p.m. Presently, Nebraska Wesleyan is 8-15 on the season.
 
On Saturday and Sunday, Peru State will be back in Heart of America action when they travel to Kansas City, Mo., to face Western Division foe Avila University. Currently, the Eagles are tied for second in the division with Benedictine with an 8-6 mark as they dropped a four-game series to MidAmerica Nazarene University, a tem which the Bobcats swept earlier in the season. Overall, Avila is 19-15-1.