(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State baseball team was able to pick up their first Heart of America Athletic Conference win of the season as they split a pair of games with visiting William Penn University on Tuesday. The Statesmen took game one 8-2 and the 'Cats won the second game 11-5.
 
With the split, Peru State improved to 6-16 overall and 1-5 in the Heart while William Penn is now 13-6 on the season and 4-2 in conference action.

 
Game One Action
 
After two scoreless innings, the Statesmen scored four runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead. William Penn would add three more in the fourth, and one in the fifth for their eight runs.
 
Peru State would not get on the board until the bottom of the sixth although they had scoring opportunities in other innings.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Kyle Killen (Commerce City, Colo.) singled to shallow left to start the inning. After two outs, Sterling Rupp (Grand Island) reached on a walk with Killen moving to second. Jeremy Mouton (San Jacinto, Calif.) singled in the infield to load the bases. Chaz Dunn (Falls City) came in to run for Rupp at that point. Kadyn Glass (Redlands, Calif.) singled to the shortstop area which was deep enough to score both Killen and Dunn. But, the 'Cats would leave two on base and trailed 8-2 which would be the final score of the seven-inning game.
 
The Statesmen scored eight runs on 16 hits and committed one error. Peru State scored their two runs on eight hits and also had one error.
 
Glass and Jordan Silva (Lynnwood, Wash.) each went 2 for 4 in the game with Glass having the two RBI.
 
Thomas Hernandez (Hollister, Calif.) threw the first 3.1 innings for the 'Cats and was tagged for the loss. Hernandez allowed 10 hits, 7 runs – 6 earned, and struck out 3. Angus Miller (Fontana, Calif.) tossed 0.2 innings and allowed two hits while striking out 1. Daniel Muniz (Miami, Fla.) threw 1 inning. Muniz gave up 3 hits, 1 earned run, and struck 1. Jacob Trujillo (Hollister, Calif.) tossed the final 2 innings. Trujillo gave up 1 hit and struck out 1.

WM PENN GM 1 GAME BOOK
 
Game Two Action
 
After William Penn scored a run in the top of the first, the Bobcats responded with a big outburst in the bottom of the inning.
 
Glass doubled down the left field line to start the inning. Edwin Rodriguez (Ponce, Puerto Rico) reached on a bobble with Glass moving to third. Mark McGinnity (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) singled to shallow center to score Glass to tie the game with Rodriguez stopping at second. Seth Thomason (Crestview, Fla.) singled to deep left to load the bases. Killen would reach on a fielder's choice with Rodriguez scoring to give Peru State a 2-1 lead. Silva singled to shallow center with McGinnity scoring. On a double play, Thomason scored with Killen moving to third. Then, on a passed ball, Killen scored the fifth run of the inning for the Bobcats. Through one inning, Peru State led 5-1.
 
In the bottom of the second, Mouton singled up the middle to start. Mouton would go to second with a stolen base. After an out, on a ground out for the second out, Mouton advanced to third. McGinnity followed with a single and Mouton scored to put Peru State up 6-1.
 
The Statesmen would cut into the Bobcat lead with three runs in the top of the fourth to make it 6-4.
 
Peru State would respond with an insurance run in the bottom of the third. Killen reached on a bobble and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Silva. Chet Brown (Redlands, Calif.) singled to shallow center with Killen advancing to third. Caleb Dameron (Henderson, Colo.) came in to run for Brown and went to second with a stolen base. Rupp singled to shallow center to bring Killen home and after three innings, Peru State led 7-4.
 
Neither team scored in the fourth although the 'Cats had an opportunity to do so.
 
In the top of the fifth, William Penn added one run to make it 7-5. In the bottom of the inning, after an out, Rupp reached base on an error and went to second on a ground out. On a wild pitch, Rupp then went to third. Rodriguez would single thru the hole at shortstop to bring home Rupp to give the Bobcats a three-run cushion at 8-5.

 
After Peru State shut down a possible William Penn scoring threat in the top of the sixth, the Bobcats would add a couple of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Thomason reached on a walk with Hernandez coming in to run for Thomason. Killen also reached on a walk with Hernandez moving to second. After an out, Brown singled thru the hole at shortstop to bring home Hernandez with Killen advancing to second. Rupp followed with a single and Killen scored to make it 10-5.
 
Peru State would add one more run in the bottom of the seventh for the final scoring of the game. After an out, McGinnity doubled to deep center. After another out, Killen singled up the middle to bring home McGinnity to make the final score 11-5.
 
Peru State scored their 11 runs on 16 hits and did not commit any errors. The Statesmen scored their five runs on seven hits and had four errors.
 
McGinnity led all batters going 4 of 6 to lead the 'Cats while Rodriguez went 3 of 6. Brown and Rupp also had two hits in the win. McGinnity and Killen each had 2 RBI.
 
O'Keefe Hall (Reno, Nev.) threw the first 7 innings and earned the win. Hall allowed 7 hits, 5 earned runs, and struck out 6. Tyler Wheelock (Omaha) and Christian Sanchez (Coama, Puerto Rico) each threw 1 inning. Neither allowed a hit or any runs while Sanchez struck out 1.

WM PENN GM 2 GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats will be back in Heart action this weekend with a pair of cross-division games. On Friday, Peru State will be playing in Marshall, Mo., against Missouri Valley College. The double header is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The Vikings are 12-12 on the season and 3-3 in conference play.
 
On Saturday, the 'Cats will be in Lamoni, Iowa, to take on Graceland University in a double header also scheduled for 1 p.m. Presently, the Yellowjackets are 9-20 overall and 3-3 in conference action.