(Peru, Neb.) – After trailing 6-3, the Peru State baseball team manufactured 12 unanswered runs to top the Benedictine (Kan.) Ravens 15-6 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Baseball Championship.
 
The Ravens scored their six runs in the first four innings and could not plate any additional runs in the Heart elimination game in Ozark, Mo. Benedictine finished their season 27-29.
 
With the win, the Bobcats improved to 29-19 and will face Evangel (Mo.) at 10 a.m. Sunday at the US Baseball Park.
 
Game Action
 
The Ravens plated two in the top of the first and added three more in the top of the second to lead 5-0 before the Bobcats got on the board.

 
In the bottom of the second, after an out, Darren Hasch (Destin, Fla.) doubled to deep left. Seth Thomason (Holt, Fla.) would reach base on a wild throw with Hasch stopping at third. After the second out, a balk was called and Hasch scored with Thomason moving to second. Chaz Dunn (Falls City) singled to first with Thomason scoring. Jordan Kelly (Omaha) singled to shallow right with Dunn stopping at second. Joshua Banuelos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) followed with a single to shallow right to drive in Dunn and Kelly moved to third.  Peru State would leave two on base, but only trailed 5-3 at that point.
 
Benedictine would add their sixth run in the top of the fourth to make it 6-3. It would prove to be the last run they would score even though they had a couple of opportunities to do so.
 
Peru State would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gianfranco Garlobo (Carolina, Puerto Rico) tripled down the right field line to start the inning. Bryan Ventura Castro (Carolina, Puerto Rico) singled to shallow right to drive in Garlobo. Eric Ocasio (San Juan, Puerto Rico) singled to shallow left with Ventura Castro stopping at second. After a pitching change, the Ravens recorded the next two outs. Then, Ventura Castro and Ocasio would each steal a base. Edwin Muniz (Dorado, Puerto Rico) doubled to deep left-center to drive in the base runners to tie the game. Dunn followed with a single to score Muniz and the 'Cats now led 7-6.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats would add an insurance run. After an out, Garlobo bunted and reached first, but then was caught stealing. Ventura Castro singled up the middle and later came home when Ocasio doubled to deep left-center to make it 8-6.

 
The Bobcat bats then exploded in the bottom of the seventh inning to break the game open. Muniz was hit by a pitch and then the Ravens changed pitchers. Dunn and Kelly were also hit by a pitch to load the bases. On a wild pitch, Muniz scored with the other base runners advancing. Banuelos loaded the bases as he was hit by a pitch. After another pitching change, Garlobo singled up the middle to drive in Dunn and Kelly with Banuelos advancing to second. Ventura Castro singled to the pitcher's mound with Banuelos advancing to third and Garlobo going to second. Ocasio was hit by a pitch to bring home Banuelos. Another pitching change produced a ground out, but Garlobo scored with the base runners advancing. Thomason hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to bring in Ventura Castro for the sixth run of the inning. Peru State led 14-6 after seven complete.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Dunn singled to shallow left to start the inning. After an out, Banuelos reached on an error with Dunn moving to second. Garlobo singled to left to drive in Dunn for what would be the final run of the ball game.

BENEDICTINE GAME BOOK
 
Statistics
 
Peru State scored their 15 runs on 18 hits and committed two errors. The Ravens scored their six runs on 14 hits and also had two errors.

 
Dunn and Garlobo each had four hits to lead Bobcats with Garlobo producing three RBI while Dunn had two. Ventura Castro added three hits and one RBI. Banuelos and Ocasio each had two hits with Ocasio driving in two RBI.
 
While Benedictine used seven pitchers in the loss, the Bobcats stuck with Alberto Rosario (Carolina, Puerto Rico) who tossed a complete game to pick up his eighth win of the season. Rosario allowed 14 hits, six earned runs, and struck out three.
 
Upcoming Game(s)
 
The Bobcats will play Evangel in another elimination game at 10 a.m. The Crusaders are 28-27 on the year. The two teams split a double header earlier in the season.
 
With a win, Peru State will face the winner of the Avila (Mo.) and Grand View (Iowa) game at 7:45 p.m. Sunday night.