(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State Bobcat softball team kept their post-season playoff hopes alive by getting a split with the Graceland Yellowjackets Tuesday in Lamoni, Iowa.
 
The 'Cats took the first game 9-2 behind the Hawaiian home runs and the record-breaking pitching of Nicole Reznicek (Omaha). In the second game, Graceland came back with a vengeance and won 12-1 in five innings.
 
With the split, Peru State is now 18-33 overall and 13-21 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The Yellowjackets are now 17-25 on the season and are 9-19 in conference play.
 
Game One Action
 
The Bobcats got on the board first in the top of the third. Alexis Paulo-Meyers (Waianae, Hawaii) homered over the center field fence on the first pitch she saw. After two outs, Rachel Carlos (Kaneohe, Hawaii) also homered over the center field fence on a 2-1 count.
 
The Yellowjackets would tie it with two runs in the bottom of the third, but that would be all the runs they would score.
 
In the top of the fourth, Megan Hartman (Lincoln) reached on a walk and then went to second when Chelsea Reznicek (Omaha) laid down a sacrifice bunt. Ally Hazen (Maxwell) singled to shallow left-center and Hartman scored to put the Bobcats up 3-2.
 
In the top of the fifth, Peru State would add another run when Carlos hit her second home run of the game – again over the center field fence, this time on a 1-2 count. At this point, the 'Cats led 4-2.
 
Then, in the top of the sixth, the Bobcats increased their lead. Reznicek bunted and reached with a base hit. Hazen singled to second with Reznicek being forced out. Amberlin Scharsch (Aiea, Hawaii) singled to shallow left-center with Hazen stopping at second. Paulo-Meyers then hit her second home run of the game, this time a three-run home run over the center field fence on a 3-1 count. At the end of five and one-half, Peru State led 7-2.

 
The 'Cats would add more runs in the top of the seventh. Carlos started the inning with a home run over the left field fence on a 3-2 count. Morgan Ritchie (Lincoln) doubled to deep left-center. After two outs, Hazen doubled to deep center to score Ritchie for what would be the final run of the game.
 
Peru State scored their nine runs on 13 hits and had two errors. Graceland scored their two runs on five hits and committed no errors.
 
Paulo-Meyers, Carlos, and Hazen each had three hits to lead the Bobcats. Paulo-Meyers drove in four while Carlos drove in three. Hazen was credited with two RBI.
 
Nicole Reznicek (Omaha) threw a complete game to win her 12^th game of the year and evened her record at 12-12. Reznicek allowed five hits, two earned runs, and struck out six. More importantly, on her fourth strikeout in the game, she broke the Peru State career strikeout record which had been previously held by one of her former teammates, Devon Massengale (Elkhorn). Massengale had 325 strikeouts in her four years from 2011-14. Reznicek finished the game with six strikeouts and now has 328 for her career with several games remaining.

GRACELAND GM 1 GAME BOOK
 
Second Game Action
 
Paulo-Meyers hit a home run on a 1-1 count over the left field fence to start the second game. But that would be all Peru State would muster on the scoreboard even though they had other opportunities to score.
 
Graceland would score three in the bottom of the second to lead 3-1 and that held until the bottom of the fourth. Then in the bottom of the fourth, the Yellowjackets exploded for nine runs which led them to the 12-1 mercy run rule victory.
 
The Yellowjackets scored their 12 runs on ten hits and had one error. Peru State scored their lone run on six hits and committed two miscues.

GRACELAND GM 2 GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats are scheduled to have two regular-season double headers remaining which will determine their post-season fate. On Saturday, the 'Cats will host Mount Mercy (Iowa) with the games scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The Mustangs are 9-37 overall and are 8-26 in the Heart. Between games, the Bobcats seniors will be recognized.
 
On Sunday, Peru State will conference leaders Clarke (Iowa) at 1 p.m. The Crusaders are 39-10 on the season and have a 26-8 mark in conference play.
 
The Heart post-season tournament will be held this year in St. Joseph, Mo., and will begin on Wednesday, May 3. The seven through ten seeds will compete in play-in games beginning at either 4 or 4:30 p.m. The winners of those games will continue play in the tournament on Thursday.