(Peru, Neb)—On Sunday February 20, the Peru State Softball team swept Bethel 2-0 in the season opening series for the 'Cats. The Bobcats won game one 10-2 in five innings and defeated the Threshers in game two 7-3.
The following is a series recap:
Game 1
In the first inning the Bobcats were not able to do much as they only recorded one hit. The Threshers scored one run in the bottom of the first on a fielder's choice. Bethel led 1-0 heading into the second inning.
The Bobcats still had a zero on the scoreboard after the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the second inning the Bobcats got out of a bases-loaded jam and the Threshers left three on base.
The Bobcat bats woke up in the third inning with a double by
Payton Beckmann (Syracuse) to start the inning sending
Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) home to tie the game at one.
Later in the inning
Jerica German (Cortland) singled sending Beckmann home. The next two batters
Morgan Wilkie (Bakersfield, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and
Jessye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark.) was walked. The next at-bat
Carli Kohout (Cortland) with the bases loaded hit a grand slam to break the game open and the Bobcats now led 6-1. The Bobcats scored six runs on three hits and only left one on base.
The Bobcat offense would stay hot in the fourth as Ohlde and Wilkie singled to start. Then German hit a sac fly scoring Ohlde. The next at-bat Wilkie scored on an error, then Kohout hit a triple scoring Rowland. The hits kept coming as
Mya Mathes singled (
Ankeny, Iowa) scoring Kohout. Peru State scored four runs off four hits and two errors in the inning leaving only one on base.
The Threshers got one back in the bottom of the fifth inning but were unable to capitalize on bases loaded and three hits in the final inning. The Bobcats scored ten runs on eight hits and no errors in the first game. The Threshers scored two runs on six hits and had two errors in game one. The Bobcats started the season 1-0 with a 10-2 win.
Alana Krieser (Lincoln) pitched all five innings, striking out four batters, giving up two runs on six hits. Both runs were earned, but Krieser came away with the win.
There were two 'Cats tied for the lead in hitting as Kohout and Ohlde were tied with two hits each in the early game. Kohout led the way in RBIs as she had five in game one.
Game 2
After a noneventful first inning the Bobcats picked up right where they left off offensively in the second inning of game two. Mathes and Ohlde both singled in the top of the second. In between those two batters
Andrea Page walked
(Palisade). Beckmann then reached on error as Mathes and Page scored to make the score 2-0 Bobcats.
The Bobcats scored two runs off two hits and an error leaving two on base in the inning. Peru State held Bethel scoreless again in the bottom of the second.
The Threshers finally got on the board in the third inning, as they got two batters to single back-to-back. The Threshers would then score off a single and an error tying the game at two going into the fourth. The Threshers scored two runs off three hits and left one on base in the inning.
In the fifth inning the Bobcats threatened but ultimately left three on base off only one hit in their half of the inning. Bethel put the pressure on in the bottom of the fifth as they started the inning with a single and then a double scoring one to take the 3-2 lead. The Threshers scored one run off two hits in the inning.
Rowland came up huge for the Bobcats in the sixth inning as she doubled scoring Wilkie and Beckmann for the Bobcats to regain the lead at 4-3. The very next at-bat German singled scoring Rowland and the Bobcats now had a 5-3 lead. Peru State scored three runs off four hits in the inning and left two on base.
The Bobcats added a few insurance runs in the top of seventh as Beckmann singled scoring Ohlde and
Cassie Pearson (Aurora, Colo.) came home on an error as well. The 'Cats scored two runs off a hit and two errors in the inning and left one on base.
Peru State held onto the 7-3 victory starting the season 2-0 while Bethel falls to 2-4 on the year.
Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) pitched all seven innings, striking out 11 batters, giving up three runs on eight hits but only two were earned securing the win.
Three players tied for leading hitter as Beckmann, German and Kohout all had two each. Beckmann led the way in RBIs with four in the second game.
The Bobcats will have a full week of rest before they travel to Winfield, Kansas to take on Southwestern College for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
