(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State softball team split its doubleheader against Hastings College on Wednesday afternoon. The Bobcats defeated the Broncos 4-1 in game one and the Broncos defeated the Bobcats 7-1 in game two. Peru State is now 4-17 overall and Hastings is now 9-13 overall.
Below is a breakdown of how the doubleheader went…
Game 1 W 4-1 vs. Hastings
Hastings got a two out rally going in the top of the first inning after a walk, a single and another walk. Peru State was able to get out the jam with a strike out swinging. The Broncos scored no runs on one hit and left three.
In the home half of the first inning
Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) was hit by a pitch and then
Autumn Dixon (Stilwell, Kan.), walked and
Morgan Wilke (Bakersfield, Calif.) moved the runners into scoring position with a productive groundout.
Andrea Page (Palisade) drew a walk to load the bases, then
Jami Mans (Fairbury) drew a walk bringing Ohlde home to make it 1-0 Bobcats. Peru State scored one run on no hits and left three on base.
The Broncos and Bobcats went three up three down in the second inning. Broncos went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. Peru State loaded the bases again in the third after Page reached on a fielder's choice,
Carlye Rothschild (Eros, La.) singled and Mans walked. Unfortunately, a pop-up to second base ended the inning.
Hastings for the third inning in a row went down in order. Peru State threatened with runners on in the fourth but a fly out ended a promising half inning as the pitcher's duel continued.
The Broncos were able to draw a walk in the top of the fifth but that was it for offense for Hastings in the fifth inning. Peru State was not able to get much going either outside of walk.
Hastings led off the top of the sixth with a single and then a double looked to tie the game at one but an awesome defensive play had the Bronco runner tagged out at home to keep the score at 1-0. Wilke, Ohlde and Rothschild all contributed to the out. The Broncos scored no runs on two hits and left two on in the sixth.
Kylee Weiss (El Dorado, Kan.) hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth.
Macie Green (Big Green, Tex.) came into pinch run.
Lanie Dreyer (Anniston, Ala.) then doubled into left field as the Bobcats had runners on the corners.
Ohlde drew a walk to the load the bases for Peru State. Then with two down Wilke hit a double down the left field line bringing three runners to make the score 4-0 Bobcats. Peru State scored three runs on three hits and left one on base.
The Broncos were able to get a run on the board via a solo home run to left in the top of the seventh to make the score 4-1. Then two singles had the Broncos threatening but a fly out to left and a pop-up to second ended the game.
Dreyer earned the win pitching a complete game striking out seven batters giving up one earned run on six hits.
Dixon, Dreyer, Rothschild, Weiss and Wilke each tied for the lead in hits with one apiece. Wilke led the way in RBIs with three.
Game 2 L 7-1 vs. Hastings
In the top of the first inning Hastings loaded the bases from a walk, a single and an error. Then a two RBI single had the Broncos with an early 2-0 lead. The Broncos were able to gets their third and fourth runs of the game via a wild pitch and a ground out. Hastings scored four runs on two hits two errors and left two on in the first.
Peru State went three up three down in the bottom of the first inning.
Hastings kept the bats hot in the top of the second inning. The Broncos scored their fifth run of the game from a wild pitch. Later in the inning they would score on a sac-fly to center field as the score was now 6-0. Hastings scored two runs on three hits an error and left two on.
The Bobcats struggled on offense in game two as they were only able to reach via an error in the home half of the second. Hastings offense cooled off in the third outside of a single.
Sophia Summers (Gardner, Kan.) hit a leadoff single in the third but the next three batters were put away. The Broncos offense had completely cooled off by the fourth inning. Peru State was able to score its first run of the game in the fourth inning.
Olivia Gordon (Oskaloosa, Iowa) hit a leadoff single. Later in the inning
Maddie Howard (Council Bluffs, Iowa) hit a single with one out advancing Dreyer who came into pinch run.
Later in the fourth the Bobcats had runners on the corners after a fielder's choice. Dreyer was able to come into score via an error. Peru State scored one run on two hits an error and left two on in the home half of the fourth.
Hastings blasted one over the left field fence in the leadoff spot in the fifth inning as the score was now 7-1. The next three batters went down in order.
Wilke hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth then Ohlde reached via an error but the Bobcats were unable to bring the runners around to score.
Both teams went three up three down in the sixth. Hastings was able to get runners on via a single and a hit by pitch but the Broncos did not score any more runs.
Summers in the final inning led off with a single to right, she was later out on a fielder's choice. Wilke advanced into scoring position via a passed ball. Ohlde then singled and Page walked to load the bases. Unfortunately, a strikeout and fly out ended the game.
Bailey Bitz (Ravenna) took the loss pitching four innings striking out four batters giving up seven runs on seven hits six were earned.
Maddi Post (Lincoln) pitched three innings in relief striking out one batter and giving up a hit.
Summers led the way with two hits.
Camryn Craddock (Waverly) had the lone RBI.
Peru State will hit the road for a doubleheader Saturday, April 1, at Graceland in Lamoni, Iowa. Then will return home on Sunday, April 2, vs. Culver-Stockton. First pitch is set for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. each day.
