(Peru, Neb.) – After an opening quarterfinal win over Avila (Mo.) University, the Peru State baseball team finished their 2016 campaign going 1-2 in the rest of the Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament. The entire tourney was held at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo.
 
In their semifinal game Friday night, Peru State could not contain the Wildcats' offense and eventually lost 16-7. Baker moved into the first championship game with the win.
 
On Saturday morning, in their elimination game with Missouri Valley, Peru State scored two in the top of the ninth to take a 9-8 victory. The 'Cats remained alive in the tournament and went on to face MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) University (MNU) Saturday night. The game was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., but got started closer to 10 p.m. The Pioneers scored four runs in the top of the eighth which propelled them to an 8-3 lead which eventually turned into a 9-6 win.

 
Friday – Baker Game Action
 
After the Wildcats scored two in the top of the first inning, Peru State came right at the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning. Kadyn Glass (Redlands, Calif.) took the first pitch he saw over the left field fence on a 0-0 count. Edwin Rodriguez (Ponce, Puerto Rico) earned a walk and then on a 1-0 count, Mark McGinnity (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the Bobcats up 3-2. Kyle Killen (Commerce City) singled thru the hole at shortstop and went to second when Jordan Silva (Lynnwood, Wash.) singled to right-center. After an out, Killen advanced to third with a stolen base. Chet Brown (Redlands, Calif.) singled to right to drive in Killen which made it 4-2.
 
Baker would score two in the top of the second to tie it and then added one in the top of the third to go up 5-4. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Wildcats exploded for seven runs in the top of the fifth to lead 12-4.
 
Peru State would get back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. After an out, McGinnity collected his second home run of the game on a 0-1 count. Killen would reach on a walk and then went to third when Silva doubled deep down the left field line. Sterling Rupp (Grand Island) singled to left with Killen scoring to cut the lead to 12-6.
 
Neither team scored in the sixth, but after that inning, Baker scored four in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 16-6.
 
The Bobcats would add one more run in the bottom of the eighth. After an out, Rupp reached with a walk. After another out, Jeremy Mouton (San Jacinto, Calif.) singled to right-center with Rupp moving to third. Caleb Dameron (Henderson, Colo.) singled thru the hole at shortstop to score Rupp, but that was all Peru State would score in the game.
 
Baker scored their 16 runs on 15 hits and had one error. Peru State scored their seven runs on 11 hits and had two errors.

McGinnity, Silva, and Mouton each had two hits in the loss. McGinnity was credited with three RBI with Glass, Rupp, Brown, and Dameron each adding one RBI.
 
O'Keefe Hall (Reno, Nev.) threw 4+ innings and was tagged with the loss. Hall allowed 5 hits, 7 runs – 5 earned, and struck out 4. Jacob Trujillo (Hollister, Calif.) tossed 0.2 innings. Trujillo allowed 2 hits, 4 runs – 2 earned, and struck out 2. Thomas Hernandez (Hollister, Calif.) threw 2 innings. Hernandez gave up 5 hits, 5 runs, and 4 earned. Matthew Sontag (Davie, Fla.) threw 2.1 innings. Sontag allowed just 3 hits and struck out 3.

BAKER GAME BOOK
 
Saturday – Missouri Valley Game Action
 
 The Vikings took the early lead as they scored one in the bottom of the first.
 
Peru State did not get on the board until the top of the third. After an out, Glass reached on a walk. Rodriguez also followed with a walk and then both base runners advanced on a wild pitch. McGinnity would load the bases with a walk and only one out. After a pitching change, the Bobcats had a pop-up out. Silva would come up and single to drive in Glass, but that was all the 'Cats could muster. At that point, it was tied at 1-1.
 
It would not be until the bottom of the fourth before Mo Valley would plate four to retake the lead at 5-1.
 
In the top of the fifth, Peru State would cut into the lead after two outs. Silva reached on a walk and then Chaz Dunn (Falls City), who was pinch hitting for Rupp, also reached with a walk. Brown singled to right to load the bases. Sontag came in to run for Brown at that point. Mouton singled to shallow center and Silva scored with Dunn following across home on the throw. That cut the lead to 5-3.

 
After shutting Mo Valley down in the bottom of the sixth, the 'Cats took the lead in the top of the sixth. Glass singled to left and went to second when Rodriguez hit a sacrifice bunt. McGinnity also bunted, but reached base with Glass advancing to third. Glass would score on a wild throw to make it 5-4. Killen followed with a single with McGinnity stopping at second. Both base runners would advance on a wild pitch. Silva followed with a double to drive in the base runners and now the Bobcats led 6-5. Dunn singled to left-center and Silva scored to put Peru State up 7-5 at that point.
 
That lead was short-lived as the Vikings tied it up in the bottom of the sixth with two runs.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh. The Bobcats stranded two in the top of the eighth which gave Mo Valley some breathing room. The Vikings took the lead in the bottom of the eighth to lead 8-7.
 
Heading into the ninth and with three outs from their season possibly ending, the Bobcats rallied after two outs. McGinnity doubled to deep left-center. Killen reached with a walk which brought Silva to the plate. Silva hit his second double of the game to drive in both base runners and Peru State led 9-8 at that point.
 
After an out in the bottom of the ninth, the Vikings got a single and the runner advanced to second on a passed ball. The next Viking at the plate lined to Killen and the base runner was thrown out going back to second to give Peru State the win.
 
The 'Cats scored the nine runs on 17 hits and won despite having five errors. Missouri Valley scored their eight runs on ten hits and had one error.
 
Silva had a career day as he went five for five with two doubles and five RBI. Brown had his best day at the plate going three for five. Glass, McGinnity, and Killen each had two hits and each scored two runs. Dunn and Mouton were also credited with one RBI.
 
Daniel Muniz (Miami, Fla.) started the game and threw 3.1 innings. Muniz allowed 4 hits, 5 runs – 3 earned, and struck out 1. Angus Miller (Fontana, Calif.) finished the fourth inning and got two outs while allowing 1 hit. Christian Sanchez (Ponce, Puerto Rico) tossed 1.2 innings. Sanchez allowed 1 hit, 2 runs, and struck out 2. Cragin Missak (Bellevue) threw the final 3.1 innings and earned the win. Missak allowed 4 hits, 1 earned run, and struck out 2.

MISSOURI VALLEY GAME BOOK
 
Saturday – MidAmerica Nazarene Game Action
 

The 'Cats scored in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. Glass reached on a walk and after an out, stole second base. McGinnity singled to shallow center and Glass went to third with McGinnity going to second on the throw. Killen hit a sacrifice fly which scored Glass with McGinnity moving to third. At the end of one, Peru State led 1-0.
 
The Pioneers tied it in the top of the second, but the Bobcats came back to regain the lead in the bottom of the inning. Brown singled to center to start the frame with Sontag coming in to run for Brown. On a ground out, Sontag advanced to second. Mouton singled to left with Sontag stopping at third. Dameron singled down the right field line with Sontag scoring to put Peru State back on top 2-1. The 'Cats would strand two runners at the end of the inning.
 
Neither team scored in the third, but the Pioneers plated two in the top of the fourth to make it 3-2. MNU would add another run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 4-2.
 
It would be the bottom of the seventh before either team would get back on the scoreboard. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and then would go to second with a stolen base. After an out, Killen doubled to deep right-center to drive in Rodriguez to make it 4-3.
 
The Pioneers would double their score in the top of the eighth as they plated four runs to lead 8-3. MNU would add one run in the top of the ninth and led 9-3 before Peru State was down to potentially their final three outs of the season.
 
After an out, Rodriguez reached on a walk. McGinnity followed with a single and Rodriguez went to second. Killen singled to left-center to load the bases. Silva hit a sacrifice fly to left-center which scored Rodriguez while McGinnity moved to third. Killen would go to second on a catcher's indifference. Brown doubled down the left field line to drive in the base runners and it was now 9-6. Travis Navarro (San Jacinto, Calif.) singled to short with Brown advancing to third. Trujillo came in to run for Brown at that point which the potential tying runs coming to the plate. Unfortunately, the batter struck out swinging and MNU won the game.
 
The Pioneers scored their nine runs on 15 hits and had one error. Peru State scored their six runs on 14 hits and also had one error.
 
Killen went three for four to lead the 'Cats. McGinnity, Brown, Navarro, and Mouton each added two hits. Killen and Brown led the team with two RBI while Silva and Dameron each adding one RBI.
 
Ryan Hirschfeld (Brush, Colo.) started the game after a long layoff. Hirschfeld threw 5.0 innings allowing 8 hits, 4 earned runs, and struck out 1. Sontag tossed 2 innings and gave up 2 hits, 2 earned runs, and struck out 1. Missak threw 0.2 innings and gave up 4 hits and 2 earned runs. Hernandez threw 0.2 innings and allowed 1 hit and 1 earned run. Miller threw the final 0.2 innings and did not allow any hits or runs.

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE GAME BOOK
 
Final Season Record and Seniors
 
The Bobcats finished the year 21-33 after going 2-2 in the Heart Tournament having made the tournament by percentage points.
 
Several seniors concluded their Bobcat playing career after the final game – Killen, Sontag, Rodriguez, Glass, Silva, Charles Lutz (Redlands, Calif.), and Miller.