(Peru, Neb.) – Once again the wind was blowing out and it was to the benefit of the batters as there were nine home runs in the first game and six home runs in the second game between Peru State and Benedictine (Kan.) on Tuesday.
 
Peru State came back with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning in the first game to win 14-12 while Benedictine held off a Bobcat rally in the bottom of the seventh in game two to win 10-9.
 
With the split, the 'Cats are now 25-13 overall and 15-7 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The Ravens are now 28-17 on the season and are 17-7 in Heart play.
 
Game One Action
 
Benedictine jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first which included two of the home runs in the first game.
 
In the bottom of the first Bryan Ventura Castro (Carolina, Puerto Rico) doubled to deep left-center and came home when Gianfranco Garlobo (Carolina, Puerto Rico) singled to shallow center. That would be the only run the Bobcats would plate at that point and trailed 4-1 after one inning.

 
Neither team would score in the second inning, but the Ravens came back in the top of the third to add four more runs – again with the aid of three home runs. Benedictine led 8-1 at that point.
 
Peru State would respond with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third. After an out, Ventura Castro singled to center and would go to second when Garlobo singled. Mark McGinnity (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) would hit a three-run home run over the center field fence on a 0-1 count to make it 8-4. Brandon Sedell (Davie, Fla.) doubled to deep left and would score when Scout Villanueva (Bakersfield, Calif.) would double to deep left-center. At the end of the third, it was 8-5 in favor of the Ravens.
 
The 'Cats would get closer in the bottom of the fourth. After an out, Joshua Banuelos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) singled to shallow right. Ventura Castro would also single with Banuelos stopping at second. Garlobo would single to load the bases. Then, on a passed ball, Banuelos would score and the other runners each advanced a base. McGinnity reached on a walk to again load the bases. After a pitching change, Sedell hit a sacrifice fly which scored Ventura Castro with Garlobo moving to third. At the end of four inning, Peru State had pulled within one at 8-7.
 
Benedictine would expand their lead by adding three runs in the top of the fifth to lead 11-7.
 
The Bobcats would get those three runs back in the bottom of the frame. Jordan Kelly (Omaha) started the inning with a double to left and would score when Edwin Muniz (Dorado, Puerto Rico) singled to shallow center. Banuelos would reach on a fielder's choice with Muniz forced out at second. Ventura Castro would also reach on a fielder's choice with Banuelos forced out at second. On a passed ball, Ventura Castro went to second. Garlobo would step to the plate and hit a two-run home run over the left field fence on a 3-1 count to make it 11-10 at that point.
 
The Ravens would add one to their lead in the top of the sixth to go ahead 12-10.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, after a pitching change, Villanueva would double to deep right. Caleb Dameron (Henderson, Colo.) would enter to run for Villanueva. Dameron would steal third. Darren Hasch (Destin, Fla.) reached on a walk. After an out, Muniz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sterling Rupp (Grand Island) entered to pinch hit for Banuelos and hit a grand slam over the left field fence on a 2-1 count to put the Bobcats up 14-12.
 
Peru State was able to keep the Ravens from scoring in the top of the seventh although the Ravens had runners in scoring position and left two on base.
 

The 'Cats scored their 14 runs on 16 hits and committed two errors. Benedictine score their 12 runs on 15 hits and did not have any errors.
 
Garlobo went five for five and had three RBI to lead the Bobcats. Ventura Castro added three hits while Villanueva finished with two hits. Rupp led the team with four RBI while McGinnity added three RBI.
 
Andrew Robinson (Imperial Beach, Calif.) started the game for Peru State and went 2.0 innings. Robinson gave up 8 hits – 6 earned runs, and struck out one. Ryan Hirschfeld (Brush, Colo.) also threw 2.0 innings. Hirschfeld allowed 3 hits, 4 earned runs, and struck out 4. Travis Navarro (San Jacinto, Calif.) went 1.1 innings. Navarro allowed 2 hits, 2 runs – 1 earned, and struck out 3. Christian Sanchez (Ponce, Puerto Rico) threw the final 1.2 innings and earned the win. Sanchez allowed 2 hits and struck out 1.

BENEDICTINE GM 1 GAME BOOK
 
Game Two Action
 
The second game started in a similar fashion as to the first as Benedictine scored three runs in the first inning with the Ravens hitting two home runs.
 
Peru State would get one run back in the bottom of the first. Ventura Castro reached on a walk and then went to second on a passed ball. Then, on a wild pitch, Ventura Castro would move to third. Garlobo would reach with a walk. On a ground by McGinnity, Ventura Castro would score to make it 3-1.
 
The Ravens would plate three more runs in the top of the second to go up 6-1 at that point. But, the 'Cats would respond in the bottom of the frame.
 
Hasch would single to start the inning and would go to second when Kelley singled to shallow right. Muniz would hit a three-run home run over the left field fence on a 1-1 count to make the score 6-4. However, that was all the Bobcats could score in the inning.
 
The Bobcats would close the gap in the bottom of the third. Sedell singled to short and would go to second on a wild pitch. Villanueva singled to deep center to score Sedell to make it 6-5.
 
Benedictine would get that run back in the top of the fourth to lead 7-5.
 

After an out in the bottom of the fourth, Banuelos singled to left-center. After the second out, Banuelos moved to second on a wild pitch. Garlobo would reach on a walk and then McGinnity would single to shallow center to score Banuelos to cut the deficit to 7-6.
 
The Ravens would add three runs in the top of the fifth which was a three-run home run blast to make it 10-6.
 
It would not be until the bottom of the seventh that the Bobcats would start a rally. After a pitching change, McGinnity singled to right with Jaime Del Hoyo (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) pinch running for McGinnity. Sedell was hit by a pitch and Chaz Dunn (Falls City) came in to run for Sedell. On a passed ball, Del Hoyo went to third. On a sacrifice fly by Villanueva, Del Hoyo score to make it 10-7. After a second out, Kelly hit a two-run home run over the left field fence on a 2-2 count to pull the 'Cats within one at 10-9. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, that would be all they could do in the frame and dropped the contest to Benedictine.
 
Benedictine scored their ten runs on 12 hits and had one error. Peru State scored their nine runs on nine hits and also had one error.
 
McGinnity and Kelly each had two hits to lead the Bobcats with both driving in two RBI. Muniz led the team with three RBI while Villanueva also being credited with two RBI.
 
Alfredo Barroso (Hialeah, Fla.) tossed the first three innings for Peru State and was tagged for the loss. Barroso allowed eight hits, seven earned runs, and struck out two. Hassan Westbrook (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) went two innings. Westbrook gave up two hits, three earned runs, and struck out one. Cragin Missak (Bellevue) went the final two innings. Missak did not allow any hits.

BENEDICTINE GM 2 GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State has three very important Heart double headers this weekend. On Friday, they will face the conference leaders, Clarke, in Dubuque, Iowa, in make-contests beginning at noon. Presently, the Crusaders are 36-8 overall and 20-4 in the Heart.
 
Then, on Saturday and Sunday, Peru State will travel to Canton, Mo., and face Culver-Stockton in double headers beginning at 1 p.m. each day. The Wildcats are 22-21 on the season and are even at 12-12 in conference action.