Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 (Peru, Neb)—Over the weekend the Peru State baseball team earned their first win and series win over Harris-Stowe State winning the series 2-1. Peru State improves to 2-16 on the season and Harris-Stowe State falls to 9-4.

The following is a series recap of all three games in St. Louis.

Game 1
The Bobcats started the scoring early in the first game in what would turn out to be an offensive shootout. Johannes Booyens (Johannesburg, South Africa) started the inning with a leadoff walk and then stole second to get in to scoring position. Then William Reynolds (Bakersfield, Calif.) doubled scoring Booyens as the 'Cats took a 1-0 lead.

The next at-bat Wesley Bradford (Bakersfield, Calif.) singled and Reynolds advanced to third as the Bobcats now had runners on the corners. After Bradford stole second and Jesus Tavares (Santo Domingo, D.R.) drew a one-out walk, Peru State had the bases loaded.

Angel Andrades (Humacao, P.R.) drew a walk scoring Reynolds as the 'Cats now had two on the board. Josue Francisco (San Cristobal, D.R.) then hit a double up the middle as Tavares and Bradford scored. Unfortunately, Andrades was called out at home.

Xavier Wright (Calumet City, Ill.) continued the hot batting as he homered to left field scoring Francisco. Peru State scored six runs on four hits and left no one on base as they were up 6-0.

In the home half of the first the Hornets went three up three down and the 'Cats were quickly back at the plate. The top of the second was quicker for the Bobcats as they only managed a single by Reynolds in the inning.

The bats came alive in the bottom of the second for the Hornets as they started the inning with a leadoff double. Then after they drew a walk, another double sent the runner from second home as they would get on the board. That would be the only run of the inning for the Hornets. They scored one run on two hits and left two on base.

Tavares hit a leadoff single for the 'Cats in the top half of third, but the 'Cats offense had stalled from the explosive first inning as that was the only hit they would get in the inning. The Hornets led off the home half of the third inning with a triple. Then a single at the next at-bat sent another runner home.

Later, in the inning after HSSU drew a couple of walks and had the bases loaded a hit by pitch would score a runner as the score was now 6-3. The Hornets scored two runs on two hits and left three on base.

The bats came back to life for the 'Cats in the fourth as Wright singled to center field and then stole second to get a runner in scoring position. Garrett Pavletich (Bakersfield, Calif.) singled as the Bobcats now had runners on the corners.

The next at-bat Booyens would lay down a sac bunt as Wright came into score. After a Reynolds ground out advanced Pavletich to third, Bradford singled scoring Pavletich as the score was now 8-3. Jose Solis (Los Santos, Panama) then singled.

Tavares came to plate and blasted one to center field as he hit a three-run home run and the 'Cats extended their lead to eight 11-3. Peru State scored five runs on five hits and left no one on base.

HSSU would not go down without a fight. The Hornets started with a leadoff double in the home half of the inning. Then a double at the next at-bat scored the runner from second.

The 'Cats almost got out of the inning as a strike out swinging should have ended the inning, but the batter reached on a wild pitch and the Hornets scored again keeping the inning alive. Later in the home half another hit by pitch with the bases loaded would score another Hornet as the score was now 11-6. For the second time in a row a hit by pitch scored another runner.

The bases were still loaded in the bottom of the fourth and the Hornets hit a grand slam tying the game at 11 apiece. The home half of the fourth finally ended but not before HSSU scored eight runs on four hits, an error and left one on base.

Francisco started the top of the fifth for Peru State with a leadoff walk. Then Wright was hit by a pitch as the 'Cats threatened with runners on first and second. Then Pavletich reached first on an error as Wright and Francisco scored as the Bobcats would regain the lead 13-11.

Then Booyens doubled scoring Pavletich as the Peru State bats stayed hot. Booyens would later score on a passed ball as the score was now 15-11. The Bobcats scored four runs on one hit and one error and left one on base.

The offensive fireworks continued in the bottom of the fifth as the Hornets led off with a triple. Then the next batter hit a double scoring the runner from third. Then a Hornet batter reached on an error as they would score another run and the score was then 15-13.

Later in the bottom of the fifth a walk would load the bases, then a hit by pitch would score a Hornet runner as the 'Cats clung to a one run lead. The next batter was walked as that would plate another runner and tie the game at 15. The Hornets scored four runs on two hits an error and left three on base.

The offenses slowed down for both teams in the sixth inning as the Bobcats could not get anything going after a leadoff single to start the inning. The Hornets were not able to get anything going offensively in the sixth.

Devin Adams (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. He then stole second to get a Bobcat in scoring position. Then Reynolds singled scoring Adams as they would take a one run lead. Bradford then doubled but Reynolds was thrown out at third.

Later in the inning Bradford scored on a wild pitch as the 'Cats led 17-15. Peru State scored two runs on two hits and left two on base.

The Hornets went three up three down in the home half of the seventh as the Bobcats would earn their first win of the season.

The Bobcats used five pitchers in game one. Diego Oquendo (Merida, Venezuela) pitched 3.2 innings, striking out five batters, giving up eight runs on six hits-all eight runs were earned. John Laureano (Gurabo, Puerto Rico) pitched 1.2 innings striking out a batter and gave up no hits and no runs. Adams pitched one inning recording a strike out. Juan Rodriguez (Bayamon, P.R.) pitched .2 innings, striking out a batter, giving up four runs on two hits but only two were earned. Rounding out the pitching for the 'Cats was Jose Diana (Santa Isabel, P.R.) he gave up three runs on two hits and all three runs were earned.

Two Bobcats tied for hits with three apiece as Bradford and Reynolds had three each. Tavares led the way in RBIs as he had three on the day.

Game 2
Bradford started game two for the Bobcats with a one out double and then Solis hit a single as the 'Cats threatened with runners on second and third. The 'Cats would leave the two runners stranded in scoring position as they recorded two hits and left two on base.

The Hornets bats in game two got hot first as they led off the home half of the second with a double. Then a single would have HSSU with runners on the corners. Then an error would lead to the first run of the game for the Hornets. The Hornets would score one more run in the inning as they led 2-0 off two hits and an error and left no one on base.

The 'Cats looked like they were in store for another quick inning after two outs but then Wright drew a walk and stole second to get a runner in scoring position with two outs. Pavletich then singled as Wright would come in to score but Pavletich was thrown out at second base to end the inning. Peru State scored one run on one hit and left no one on base.

The Hornets went down in order in the home half of the second. After a quiet third inning the offense picked up again in the fourth.

Tavares led off the fourth as he reached on an error and then advanced to second. The next at-bat Adams doubled scoring Tavares as the 'Cats would tie the game at two. Later in the inning after Adams stole third, Gustavo Rivera (Bayamon, P.R.) reached on an error as Adams would come into score and the Bobcats took the 3-2 lead.

Wright then singled to left field and then Pavletich walked as the bases were juiced for Peru State. Reynolds would ground out, but it led to Rivera putting another run on the board for the 'Cats.

A wild pitch would score Wright and Pavletich advanced to third, the 'Cats now led 5-2. Bradford kept the scoring going as he singled, and Pavletich would plate another run. The Bobcats scored five runs on three hits an error and left one on base as they lead 6-2.

In the home half of the fourth the Hornets would get one run back via a homerun. That would be the only run of the inning for HSSU.

In the fifth inning it looked like it would be a quick top half as the 'Cats were quickly down to their final out in the inning. Then after Francisco got on via a hit by pitch, Rivera doubled scoring Francisco. Doel Pina (Fajardo, P.R.) came into pinch run for Rivera.

Wright at the plate then singled scoring Pina as the 'Cats now led 8-3. Wright stole two bases as he was now 90-feet from home, but nothing would come of it and the Bobcats scored two runs on two hits and left Wright stranded.

The Hornets could only muster one hit in the bottom of the fifth. The 'Cats won the game in six innings 8-3 as they would take the series win with one more game to go looking for the sweep.

Rodriguez pitched all five innings, striking out 11 batters, giving up three runs on four hits but only two were earned.

Bradford and Wright tied for the lead in hits as they had two each. Rivera led the way with two RBIs in game two.

Game 3
On Sunday the 'Cats were looking for the sweep. The offense was not as potent as he had been all weekend.

In the first inning the 'Cats went down in order. The Hornets led their home half of the inning with a single. After reaching on an error and a hit by pitch the bases were loaded, the next at bat a single scored two runs for HSSU. The Hornets would lead after one 2-0 off two hits an error and left two on base.

Solis led off the second inning with a single but after a double play and a ground out a fast half inning for the 'Cats was in store. The Hornets went down in order in the second.

Pina in the top of third hit a one-out single and Pavletich hit a single right after him as the 'Cats threatened with runners on first and second. The Bobcats could not capitalize as they left two runners on from those two hits.

The Hornets threatened with runners on first and second via an error and a single. The Hornets then executed the double steal to put pressure on the 'Cats as both Hornets were in scoring position. A ground out would lead to another run for HSSU. The Hornets scored one run on a hit an error and left one on base. They now led 3-0.

Tavares hit a lead off single to start the fourth for the 'Cats but again they could not get anything going offensively. The next two innings for both teams were dormant offensively.

In the sixth Reynolds reached first on an error, then Wright reached on an error and made it all the way to third as Reynolds would score getting the Bobcats on the board. Tavares then hit a sac fly scoring Wright as the 'Cats were now within one. Peru State scored two runs on two errors and left one on base.

The Hornets hit a lead off single to start the home half of the sixth but would not do anything offensively.

Pina hit a one-out single in the top of the seventh but then a ground out double play effectively ended the away half of the inning. The Hornets threatened in the bottom of the seventh as they got the bases juiced from a walk and error and a fielder's choice. The 'Cats got out of the bases loaded jam as we headed to the eighth inning.

The Bobcats offense stalled in the eighth as they went three up three down. The Hornets threatened again in the home half as two walks had a base runner in scoring position but the 'Cats held defensively.

Peru State had one last chance in the ninth and it started with a Solis single to start the inning. Then Adams singled on a bunt and the 'Cats had runners on first and second. Then Peru State got the bases loaded via an error.

Rivera then reached on a fielder' choice but unfortunately Solis was thrown out at home. Then a strike out and a ground out would end the game as the 'Cats left three runs on base from two hits and an error and fell 3-2. The Bobcats fell to 2-16 on the season and the Hornets improved to 9-4.

The 'Cats used two pitchers in the final game of the series. Enmanuel Cabrera (Villa Gonzalez, D.R.) pitched 7.2 innings, striking out 14 batters, giving up three runs on four hits but only two were earned. Rodriguez rounded out the pitching for the 'Cats.
Pina and Solis tied for the lead in hits as each had two, Tavares and Wright tied for RBIs as each had one apiece.

Peru State starts Heart of America Athletic Conference play this weekend as they travel to Olathe, Kansas for a four-game series against MidAmerica Nazarene. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. Friday March 11.