(Peru, Neb.) – On a dreary day in Grand Rapids, Mich., it was an even drearier outcome for the Peru State baseball team in their opening contest of the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round. The opening round is being hosted by Davenport University and is played at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
The Bobcats fell behind 8-0 before they were able to score. Peru State mounted a comeback, but it was not enough as fifth-seeded Grand View University defeated the 'Cats 12-7.
With the win, the Vikings improved to 22-20 while Peru State falls to 38-15.
Game Action Grand View scored three in the top of the second, three in the top of the third, and two in the top of the fourth to lead 8-0.
In the bottom of the fifth,
Adam Quintana (Highland, Calif.) singled to right-center to start the inning.
Seth Walston (Hemet, Calif.) would reach on a walk with Quintana advancing to second.
Mark McGinnity (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) singled to left to drive in Quintana with Walston stopping at second. Unfortunately, Peru State would leave two on base at the end of five and trail 8-1.
The Vikings would add three runs in the top of the sixth to go up 11-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Peru State would get a couple of the runs back.
Kyle Killen (Commerce City, Colo.) singled to the shortstop to start things off. On a wild pitch, Killen would advance to second. After a strike out,
Scout Villanueva (Bakersfield, Calif.) hit a two-run home run to deep right-center on a 2-1 count to cut the deficit to 11-3 which would end up being the final scoring of the inning.
After shutting out the Vikings in the top of the seventh, Peru State had a two-out rally.
Joshua Alonzo (Riverside, Calif.) singled thru the hole at shortstop and would advance to second when Killen walked.
Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) also singled thru the hole at shortstop to load the bases. Villanueva would reach on a walk to push Alonzo across the plate.
Matthew Sontag (Davie, Fla.) came in to run for Villanueva. Quintana singled to shallow right to drive in Killen and the bases were still loaded. Santiesteban would score on a wild pitch to make it 11-6. Walston would reach on an error and Sontag would score making it 11-7.
Grand View would add one in the top of the eighth to lead 12-7 which would eventually be the final score of the game. Peru State would have scoring opportunities in both the eighth and ninth, but could not push across any runs.
The Vikings scored their 12 runs on 15 hits and had two errors. Peru State scored their seven runs on ten hits and committed three errors.
Killen, Villanueva, and Quintana each had two hits to lead Peru State. Villanueva drove in three RBI while Quintana and McGinnity each had one RBI.
Manny Arciniega (Hemet, Calif.) started on the mound for the Bobcats and suffered the loss. Arciniega went five and one-third innings and allowed 12 hits, 11 earned runs, and struck out seven.
Timothy Patterson (Valdosta, Ga.) threw two and two-third innings in relief. Patterson allowed three hits, one earned run, and struck out one.
Tanner Degafferelly (Freeport, Fla.) tossed the final inning and did not allow any hits while striking out one.
GRAND VIEW GAME BOOK Upcoming Game(s) With the loss, Peru State moves into the consolation bracket and will play on Wednesday at 11 a.m. CST against the loser between Davenport and Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio). With a win, the Bobcats would move into the next consolation bracket at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. A loss from here on will eliminate the Bobcats from the tournament.
