(Peru, Neb.)—On Tuesday March 29, the Peru State Softball team swept Clarke by scores of 10-4 and 11-5. The Bobcats improve to 7-10 overall and 3-5 in Heart conference play the Pride fall to 7-11 and 1-5 in conference play.
 
Below is a breakdown of each game:
 
Game 1
 
The Pride were not able to get much going in the top of the first inning as they were only able to muster a single in the inning. They scored no runs on one hit no errors and left one on base.
 
The Bobcat offense was alive and well virtually all day, Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) started the inning with a leadoff walk. Later in the inning she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then Morgan Wilkie (Bakersfield, Calif.) hit a single as Peru State threatened with runners on the corners.
 
Jerica German (Cortland) drew a walk to load the bases for the 'Cats. Jessye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark.) drew a walk to bring in the first runner of the game. The very next at-bat Carlye Rothschild (Eros, La.) doubled sending three Bobcats runners' home.
 
Peru State now led 4-0, the 'Cats scored four runs on two hits no errors and left two on base.
 
Clarke in the second inning again was only able to get a single. The Pride had no runs on one hit and left one on base.
 
Payton Beckmann (Syracuse) with one out in the second inning hit a homerun to extend the 'Cats lead to five. The next at-bat Wilkie came to the plate and hit a double. Later in the inning German doubled and Wilkie came into score. Peru State scored two runs on three hits and left one on base.
 
The Pride in the top of the third drew a leadoff walk but Clarke still could not get anything offensively. They had no runs on no hits and left one on.
 
Peru State started the home half of the third with a walk from Rothschild. Then Mya Mathes (Ankeny, Iowa) doubled as the 'Cats threatened with two runners in scoring position.
 
Ohlde later in the inning would produce a single as Rothschild would come into score. The Bobcats now led 7-0. Peru State scored one run on three hits no errors and left two on.
 
The Pride offense got going in the fourth after a leadoff walk and double would put two runners in scoring position. Then a productive groundout scored the first run of the game for Clarke. The Pride scored one run on one hit no errors and left two on base.
 
Peru State's bats were hot all afternoon long as Carli Kohout (Cortland) doubled to start the fourth. German came up to the plate next and knocked a double sending Kohout home.
 
Rowland then hit a single as the 'Cats had runners on the corners. Then Mathes hit a sac fly to left field as the Bobcats now led 9-1. Peru State scored two runs on three hits no errors and one left on.
 
In the top of the fifth the Pride started with a leadoff single. Then a triple would bring in Clarke's second run of the game. A productive groundout would score a Pride runner as they trailed 9-3. The Pride would threaten with runners on first and second from a single and an error but there would be no more damage. Clarke scored two runs on three hits an error and left two on.
 
Ohlde started the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff walk, but she would get bounced in a fielder's choice. Later in the inning Kohout doubled to score the Bobcats tenth run of the game. The 'Cats scored one run on one hit an error and left one on.
 
Three singles after an out had the Pride with bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Then a sac fly to the shortstop in shallow center would score one Clarke runner as they trailed 10-4. The Pride scored one run on three hits and left two on.
 
The Bobcats could not get much going in the home half of sixth as a Mathes single would be the only hit of the inning.
 
The Pride would threaten to score again in the top of the seventh with a pair of singles, but the Bobcats got out of the inning unscathed and won the game 10-4.
 
Alana Krieser (Lincoln) pitched a complete game striking out four batters giving up four runs on 11 hits all four runs were earned.
 
Five Bobcats tied for the lead in hits as Beckmann, German, Kohout, Mathes and Wilkie all had two in game one. Rothschild led the way in RBIs with three in game one.
 
Game 2
 
The Pride in the first inning went three up three down. Unfortunately, the Bobcats also went down in order in the first inning of game two.
 
The second was the exact same as the first as both teams were trying find their groove offensively.
 
The Pride in the top of third threatened with runners in scoring position from a single and an advance. A second single had runners on first and second.
 
A third single in the inning brought home the first Clarke runner of the game. Then an error would load the bases for the Pride.
 
A double scored two more runners as the Pride jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Clarke scored three runs on four hits an error and left two on.
 
The Bobcats in the home half of third got runners in scoring position by Mathes reaching on an error and then Ohlde doubled as the 'Cats had runners on second and third.
 
Beckmann doubled in the next at-bat as Peru State cut the lead to one as they now trailed 3-2. Peru State scored two runs on two hits an error and left one on.
 
The Pride looked to add to their lead in the fourth after a one out walk and a single but a double play would end the inning for Clarke. The Pride scored no runs on one hit and left one on.
 
Rowland tried to get a two out rally in the home half of the fourth with a double. She was left stranded. The Bobcats had no runs on one hit no errors and left one on.
 
The Pride started the top of the fifth with a leadoff single. Then the baserunner advanced to second on a wild pitch. Later in the inning a single would bring the Pride runner home as they doubled up the 'Cats as they led 4-2. Clarke scored one run on three hits and left two on.
 
Mathes and Hailey Wessel (Malcolm) started the bottom of the fifth with a pair of singles. Then both runners advanced into scoring position via a wild pitch. Beckmann would then hit a triple to tie the game at four apiece.
 
Wilkie singled on the next at-bat as the 'Cats took the 5-4 lead. Kohout then came to the plate and blasted one over the fence scoring two more runs. The Bobcats kept the pressure on as Rowland doubled and then Rothschild singled putting runners on the corners.
 
Then Mathes reached on an error as the 'Cats now doubled up the Pride leading 8-4. Peru State scored six runs on seven hits an error and left two on in an explosive fifth inning.
 
Clarke started the sixth inning with a leadoff single. Then Wessel had an excellent double play as she caught a hard line drive at third and threw a rope to first to get the runner out. The Pride had no runs on one hit an error and left one on base.
 
Ohlde started the home half of the sixth with a walk. Then Beckmann singled, both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch.
 
Wilkie then hit a two RBI double as the 'Cats now led 10-4. Then a German double later in the inning sent Wilkie home as the Bobcats extended their lead to seven.
 
Peru State threatened once more in the sixth with Rowland reaching on an error and then stealing second base as the 'Cats had runners on second and third. The Bobcats scored three runs on three hits an error and left two on.
 
In the top of the seventh the Pride hit a double and then the base runner advanced to third as she was 60-feet away from the plate. A single would bring the Pride runner home as they now trailed 11-5. They would get another baserunner via a walk. Then Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) shut the Pride down with two strikeouts. Peru State won the game 11-5 and swept Clarke.
 
Leach pitched a complete game striking out ten batters giving up five runs on 11 hits four of the runs were earned.
 
Beckmann led the way in hits and RBIs as she had three hits and four RBIs in game two.
 
Peru State is back in action this Thursday March 31, at York College for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.