(Peru, Neb.) – It was an important four-game series which ultimately decided the number two spot in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division. The host William Penn (WPU) Statesmen were able to take three of four games from the Peru State Bobcats and locked up the second spot heading into the conference's final weekend of the regular season.
 
William Penn won both games on Saturday by the same score of 6-3. The Statesmen ended up winning the first game 5-3 before the 'Cats salvaged one game of the series winning 6-4 in the Sunday nightcap.
 
WPU improved to 29-14 overall and 18-10 in the Heart North. The Bobcats are now 23-25-1 and are also 18-10 in the north division.
 
Saturday Game One Action
 
The Statesmen scored one in the bottom of the first and held onto a 1-0 lead through three complete innings.

 
Peru State had scoring opportunities in all of the first three innings as they seven on base before finally scoring in the top of the fourth. Xavier Wright (Calumet City, Ill.) homered to left on a 2-2 count to tie the game at 1-1. Jose Chacin (Machiques, Venezuela) singled to left with Tyler Levy (Nebraska City) entering to run for Chacin on the bases. On a sac bunt, Levy moved to second. Levy would then steal third and on a sac fly from Luis Landaeta (Porlamar, Venezuela), Levy would score to put the 'Cats ahead 2-1.
 
The 'Cats kept the score the same until the bottom of the sixth when William Penn exploded for five runs to lead 6-2.
 
In the top of the seventh, Adam Cendejas (Chino Hills, Calif.) would single to center. Levy entered to run for Cendejas. On a balk, Levy moved to second. Manuel Caballero (Dolega, Panama) singled to short to drive in Levy to put the score at 6-3. That would be all the Bobcats could plate in the inning as the Statesmen would win 6-3.
 
William Penn scored their six runs on six hits and did not commit any errors. Peru State scored their three runs on 11 hits and had one miscue.
 
Cendejas, Caballero, Jesus Tavarez (Santo Domingo, D.R.), and Chacin each had two hits in the loss. Landaeta, Caballero, and Wright each were credited with one RBI.
 
Joshua Santiago (Carolina, P.R.) threw the first five innings and was tagged for the loss. Santiago allowed four hits, four earned runs, and struck out six. Devin Adams (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) threw the final inning. Adams gave up two hits, two runs – one earned, and struck out two.

WPU SATURDAY GAME ONE GAME BOOK
 
Saturday Game Two Action
 
Peru State would get on the board first in the top of the first inning. Hector Torres (Gurabo, P.R.) singled to right and went to third when Landaeta singled to left. Torres would score on an error with Landaeta going all the way to third on the play. Cendejas singled down the left field line to drive in Landaeta to make it 2-0.

 
William Penn would score one in the bottom of the fourth and one in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up at 2-2.
 
After two outs in the top of the sixth, Caballero reached on an error. Caballero would move to second on a balk call. Jeremy Santiago (Ponce, P.R.) entered to run for Caballero. Jose Solis (Los Santos, Panama) singled to center to bring Santiago home to put the Bobcats up 3-2.
 
Unfortunately for Peru State, the Statesmen would score four in the bottom of the sixth to take the 6-3 win.
 
The Statesmen scored their six runs on eight hits and committed three errors. Peru State scored their three runs on five hits and also had three errors.
 
Torres, Landaeta, Cendejas, Solis, and Tavarez each had one hit for Peru State. Cendejas and Solis each had one RBI.
 
Steven Ortiz (Yonkers, N.Y.) started the game for the 'Cats and suffered the loss. Ortiz tossed 5.2 innings and allowed 7 hits, 6 runs – 3 earned, and struck out 3. John Laureano (Gurabo, P.R.) threw the final out and allowed one hit.

WPU SATURDAY GAME TWO GAME BOOK
 
Sunday Game One Action
 
The Bobcats jumped out to the lead on Sunday like they did in Saturday's second game.
 
Torres started with a triple to deep right-center to start the game. Landaeta was hit by a pitch. After an out, Caballero hit a three-run home run to put Peru State up 3-0.

 
Peru State would not be able to score any additional runs, but left two base runners on in the fourth and seventh.
 
William Penn scored one in the bottom of the second, one in the bottom of the third, and then went ahead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Statesmen added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to lead 5-3 which was the final score.
 
The Statesmen scored their five runs on 12 hits and did not commit any errors. Peru State scored their three runs on six hits and committed one error.
 
Torres led the team with two hits while Caballero had all three RBI.
 
Sebastian Rodriguez (Cayey, P.R.) started on the mound for Peru State and was tagged for the loss. Rodriguez threw 5.2 innings and allowed 12 hits, 5 earned runs, and struck out 5. Laureano had the last out of the contest for the 'Cats.

WPU SUNDAY GAME ONE GAME BOOK
 
Sunday Game Two Action
 
After an out, Landaeta singled to short to start the first inning for Peru State. Cendejas singled to left with Landaeta stopping at second. After a strikeout, Solis singled to shallow right which allowed Landaeta to score putting the 'Cats on top 1-0.

 
William Penn would tie it up in the bottom of the first with one run.
 
In the top of the second, Peru State would plate a couple of runs. Jackson Tingwald (Ralston) doubled to deep right-center to start the inning. After two outs, Torres tripled down the right field line to drive in Tingwald to put the Bobcats back in the lead. Landaeta followed with a single to left to bring home Torres making the score 3-1 at that point.
 
The Statesmen would get one of the runs back in the bottom of the second to trail 3-2 after two complete innings. William Penn would then tie it in the bottom of the third with one run and took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with another run. After four complete, WPU would lead 4-3.
 
Peru State would leave people on base in the top of both the fifth and sixth innings without scoring. The Bobcats would then get back on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh.
 
Cendejas singled thru the hole at shortstop. Levy would enter to run for Cendejas at that point and would go to third when Caballero singled to center. Solis doubled to shallow center with Levy scoring to tie the game and Caballero stopping at third. Jeremy Santiago entered to run for Soli. After a ground out, Tingwald singled to center to drive in both caballero and Santiago putting the 'Cats ahead 6-4 which would ultimately be the final score.
 
The Bobcats scored their six runs on 13 hits and committed two errors. WPU scored their four runs on six hits and also had two miscues.
 
Tingwald had three hits to lead Peru State while Landaeta, Cendejas, Caballero, and Solis each had two hits. Solis and Tingwald each had two RBI while Torres and Landaeta each were credited with one.
 
Daniel Castillo (Barranquilla, Colombia) tossed a complete game for the win. Castillo threw seven innings allowing six hits, four runs – two earned, and struck out four.

WPU SUNDAY GAME TWO GAME BOOK
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State hosted Briar Cliff (Iowa) in a non-conference double header.
 
This weekend, the Heart has its final regular season contests which were determined by the standings as of Sunday. Peru State will be hosting Mount Mercy (Iowa) in a best of three series with the winner securing a berth into the post-season tournament next week. The Mustangs are presently 29-15 overall and finished one game behind the Bobcats in the North with a 17-11 mark. The 'Cats took three of four from Mount Mercy early in the season.