(Peru, Neb.) – It was a battle of two of the top teams in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division in Oskaloosa, Iowa. At the end of the series, the William Penn (WPU) Statesmen had swept the visiting Peru State Bobcats to continue their hold on the top spot in the Heart.
 
The Statesmen took the double header on Saturday as they won the first game 8-1 and then had a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to take the second game 11-9. On Sunday, WPU took the nine-inning contest by a score of 9-4.
 
William Penn improved to 25-6 on the season and are now 11-3 in the Heart. The Statesmen now have the best overall conference mark. Peru State fell to 13-16 on the year and are still 10-6 in conference play which places them third in the Heart North and fourth overall.
 
Saturday Game One Action
 
William Penn scored first by plating two runs in the bottom of the third and then added another six runs in the bottom of the fourth to lead 8-0 at that point.
 
Peru State would not get on the board until the sixth inning when Edwin Muniz (Dorado, P.R.) hit a home run over the left field fence on the first pitch he saw. That would be the only Bobcat run of the first game.
 
The Statesmen scored their eight runs on nine hits and did not commit any errors. The 'Cats scored their lone run on five hits and had three miscues.
 
Muniz, Jesus Tavarez (Santo Domingo, D.R.), Adam Cendejas (Chino Hills, Calif.), Jaime Del Hoyo (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), and Chaz Dunn (Falls City) each had one hit in the contest with Muniz getting the only RBI.
 
Alberto Rosario (Carolina, P.R.) started the game for the Bobcats and suffered the loss. Rosario threw 3.2 innings and gave up 9 hits, 8 runs – 6 earned, and struck out 4. Joshua Santiago (Carolina, P.R.) tossed the final 2.1 innings. Santiago did not give up any runs or hits.

SATURDAY GM ONE GAME BOOK
 
Saturday Game Two Action
 
WPU would build a big lead in the second game only to see Peru State come back to eventually make it a game.
 
The Statesmen scored five in the first inning. The Bobcats would get on the board in the top of the third. After two outs, Tavarez singled to center and would go to third when Darren Hasch (Destin, Fla.) singled to right. Cendejas singled to left to score Tavarez to make the score 5-1 at that point.
 
William Penn would plate three runs in the bottom of the fourth to lead 8-1, but Peru State was not out of it.
 
In the top of the fifth, Joshua Banuelos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) doubled to left to start the inning. Muniz would reach on a fielder's choice with Banuelos being tagged out. Tavarez would reach on a walk with Muniz moving to second. After the second out, Cendejas singled to center to drive in Muniz to cut the score to 8-2.
 
WPU would score one in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 9-2.
 
Sterling Rupp (Grand Island) started the top of the sixth inning with a single to left. After an out, Del Hoyo singled to right with Rupp moving to third on an error. Dunn would reach on another error with Rupp scoring and Del Hoyo moving to third. On a sac fly by Banuelos, Del Hoyo would score to cut the deficit to four at 9-4.
 
After a pitching change in the top of the seventh, Tavarez homered to right on a 0-0 count. Hasch followed with the same outcome as the Bobcats closed the gap to 9-6.
 
In the top of the ninth, Tavarez started the inning with a single to center. Hasch followed with a single with Tavarez moving to second. After two outs, Alexander Ramos (Lakeland, Fla.) hit a three-run home run to left on the first pitch he saw to tie the game at 9-9.
 
The Statesmen would get a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to claim the second game 11-9.
 
William Penn scored their 11 runs on 12 hits and committed two errors. Peru State scored its nine runs on 15 hits and did not have any errors.
 
Tavarez, Hasch, and Ramos each had three hits to lead Peru State. Cendejas and Del Hoyo each added two hits. Ramos led the team with three RBI while Cendejas was credited with two RBI.
 
Eddy Tavarez Cabrera (San Cristobel, D.R.) started the game for the 'Cats. Tavarez Cabrera threw 3.1 innings and allowed 5 hits, 8 earned runs, and struck out 6. Zach Pinkerton (Beatrice) tossed the next 1.2 innings. Pinkerton allowed 3 hits and 1 earned run. Alfredo Barroso (Hialeah, Fla.) threw the next 1.2 innings. Barroso allowed 1 hit. Reiner Mendez (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) came in and threw the next 1.2 innings. Mendez gave up 2 hits, 1 earned run, and struck out 1 while being tagged for the loss. Tyler Wheelock (Omaha) was the final pitcher and allowed 1 hit and 1 earned run.

SATURDAY GM TWO GAME BOOK
 
Sunday Game Action
 
Peru State scored first in the Sunday game. In the top of the third, after an out, Austin Greenfield (Omaha) was hit by a pitch. After another out, Hasch was hit by a pitch to move Greenfield to second. Cendejas singled to left to drive in Greenfield for the first run of the game.
 
WPU would score two in the bottom of the third, two in the bottom of the fourth, one in the bottom of the fifth, and three more in the bottom of the seventh to build an 8-1 lead.
 
The Bobcats would get three runs in the top of the eighth. Hasch doubled to left to start the frame. After an out, Rupp reached on an error with Hasch moving to third. Ramos reached on a walk to load the bases. Luis Landaetaa (Porlamar, Venezuela) singled to short to drive in Hasch and keep the bases loaded. After the second out, Banuelos reached on a fielder's choice which drove in Rupp. Ramos would eventually score as well on the play to make it 8-4.  
 
The Statesmen would tack on one run in the bottom of the eighth for the final 9-4 score.
 
William Penn scored their nine runs on 15 hits and committed two errors. Peru State scored its four runs on six hits and did not have any errors.
 
Cendejas had two hits to lead Peru State. Cendejas, Landaeta, and Banuelos were each credited with an RBI.
 
Ben Carr (Omaha) started the game for the 'Cats and was tagged for the loss. Carr threw 6 innings and allowed 10 hits, 5 earned runs, and struck out 2. Felix Rodriguez (Carolina, P.R.) threw 2 outs. He allowed 4 hits and 3 earned runs. Ricky Broxson threw the final 1.1 innings. Broxson allowed 1 hit and 1 earned run.

SUNDAY GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will host a non-conference nine-inning game against Kansas Wesleyan on Thursday at 3 p.m. The Coyotes are 17-15 on the season.
 
The Bobcats will then travel to Dubuque, Iowa, to face the Clarke Pride in a key three-game series in Heart North action on Saturday and Sunday. The Pride are presently 18-14 overall and are in third overall in conference play with at 13-5 mark.