(Peru, Neb.) – Having played 14 games before your opponents come to play their opening games of the season can give a ball team a distinct advantage. Most likely that was the case as the Ottawa (Kan.) Braves swept a double header from Peru State Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Braves won 6-1 and 6-4 to improve to 9-7 on the season. Peru State fell to 0-2 in the non-conference action in Baldwin City, Kan.
 
First Game
 
The Bobcats squandered a scoring opportunity in the top of the first as they had the bases loaded. Ottawa scored one in the bottom of the inning to take a 1-0 lead.
 

Ottawa would add three in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth to increase their lead to 6-0.
 
In the top of the sixth, Alexis Paulo-Meyers (Waianae, Hawaii) homered to left on a 1-1 count to get the Bobcats on the board. That would be the only score for the 'Cats in the contest.
 
The Braves scored their six runs on 11 hits and had one error. Peru State scored their lone run on three hits and did not commit any errors.
 
Paulo-Meyers went 2 for 3 and had 1 RBI to lead Peru State. Amberlin Scharsch (Aiea, Hawaii) had the other hit for the Bobcats.
 
Nicole Reznicek (Omaha) threw a complete game and suffered the loss. Reznicek allowed 11 hits, six earned runs and struck out six.

OTTAWA GM ONE GAME BOOK
 
Second Game
 
The 'Cats did get on the board in the first inning in the second game.
 
Paulo-Meyers reached on a walk and went to third when Scharsch singled to right-center. On a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Carlos (Kaneohe, Hawaii), Scharsch went to second. Leah Quick (Kansas City, Kan.) hit a sacrifice to left to score Paulo-Meyers with Scharsch advancing to third on the throw. Megan Hartman (Lincoln) singled to right to drive in Scharsch and the Bobcats led 2-0 at that point.
 
Ottawa would come back in the bottom of the inning and scored four runs on five hits and were aided by two Peru State errors to lead 4-2.
 
The Bobcats would narrow the gap in the top of the third. Sandy Garcia (Strasburg, Colo.) reached on a walk and after an out, would move to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Moya (Keenesburg, Colo.). Paulo-Meyers would hit a single and Garcia would score to make it 4-3.
 
That score would hold until the bottom of the fourth when Ottawa added a run to make it 5-3.
 

In the top of the fifth, on a 0-2 count, Quick homered to make it 5-4. But, that was all Peru State could manage to score in the inning.
 
The Braves would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to increase the lead to 6-4 which would eventually be the final score.
 
Ottawa scored their six runs on 11 hits and did not have any errors. Peru State scored their four runs on seven hits and committed three errors.
 
Quick led the team in batting going two for three with two RBI. Hartman also had two hits and had one RBI as did Paulo-Meyers.
 
Hartman started on the mound and tossed 5.1 innings and was tagged for the loss. She allowed 11 hits, 6 runs – 3 earned, and struck out 1. Moya threw the final two outs and did not allow a hit while striking out one.

OTTAWA GM TWO GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats will be participating in the Friends Invitational in Wichita, Kan., this coming Friday and Saturday.
 
On Friday, the 'Cats will start off with Mid-America Christian (MACU) (Okla.) at 2 p.m. MACU is currently 4-4 on the season. At 6 p.m., Peru State will face Ottawa.
 
Peru State will have three games on Saturday with their first contest coming at 1 p.m. against McPherson (Kan.). The Bulldogs are 4-8 and will play for three more games before facing the 'Cats. At 5 p.m., Peru State will take on Bethel (Kan.). The Threshers are 2-5 on the season. The final game of the invitational will be against the hosts, Friends, at 7 p.m. Friends is presently 4-4 and will play four games in the invite before hosting the Bobcats.
 
During mid-term break, the Bobcats will take another Kansas swing and will also drive down to Oklahoma for the final games. On Monday, March 6, Peru State will take on Southwestern in Winfield, Kan., for a double header beginning at 2 p.m. The next day, the 'Cats will play in Hillsboro, Kan., against the currently 1-6 Tabor Blue Jays in a double header beginning at 2 p.m. Finally, Peru State will head to Langston, Okla., to take on the Langston Lions in a double header beginning at 1 p.m. The Lions are currently 5-3.
 
The Saturday at the end of the mid-term break will be the Bobcats' home opener, as well as, Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) opener. Culver-Stockton (Mo.) will be the opponent. The Wildcats started their season with a pair of wins.