(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State softball team dropped two games at home to Missouri Valley on Saturday, April 8. The Bobcats lost the first game 3-1 and the second game 10-2 in five innings. Peru State is now 5-24 overall and 2-10 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play while Missouri Valley is now 18-12 overall and 7-3 in Heart play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the doubleheader went…
 
Game 1 L 3-1 vs. Missouri Valley
 
Missouri Valley got the scoring started early in the first inning after the leadoff hitter drew a walk and stole second. Then an RBI single scored the first run of the game. The Vikings scored one run on one hit and left one on base. Peru State went three up three down in the first.
 
Missouri Valley threatened in the top of the second with two singles but a strikeout and a flyout ended the half inning. Kaelyn Hamblen (Papillion) hit a single through center field but that was the only offense the Bobcats could muster in the second.
 
The Vikings did not have much offense going in the third as they grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Peru State went three up three down in the third.
 
Missouri Valley hit an RBI triple down the left field line to score the second run of the game. Later in the fourth an RBI single scored The Vikings third run of the game. Missouri Valley scored two runs on three hits and left one on base.
 
Jami Mans (Fairbury) blasted a leadoff home run over the center field wall to start the home half of the fourth inning as the Bobcats now trailed by two runs 3-1. Morgan Wilke (Bakersfield, Calif.) then hit a single to left but the Bobcats were unable to score any more runs.
 
The Vikings hit a leadoff double in the top of the fifth and the baserunner would later be caught stealing as the Bobcats kept the score within two runs. Peru State went 1-2-3 in the home half of the fifth.
 
Missouri Valley hit a double down the left field line in the sixth but was unable to bring the runner home. Wilke reached on an error in the second but the score would remain 3-1 going into the seventh.
 
The Vikings went down in order in the top of the seventh. Carlye Rothschild (Eros, La.) got a two out rally going with a single. Macie Green (Big Spring, Tex.) came into pinch run. Hailey Wessel (Malcolm) then singled to put runners on the corners. A strikeout ended the game.
 
Wessel took the loss pitching four innings, striking out two batters giving up three earned runs on seven hits. Lanie Dreyer (Anniston, Ala.) pitched three innings in relief striking out a batter.
 
Hamblen, Mans, Rothschild, Wessel and Wilke each recorded a hit. Mans had the lone RBI.
 
Game 2 L 10-2 (F/5) 10-2 vs. Missouri Valley
 
The Vikings started out hot in the first inning with a two out rally as they hit a triple into right center field. Then an RBI single scored the first run of the game. Missouri Valley scored one run on two hits and left one on base.
 
Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first but then a 4-6-3 double play and a ground out ended the inning. Missouri Valley hit a leadoff double to start the second.
 
An executed double steal later in the inning scored the second run of the game. Then an error scored two more unearned runs to make the score 4-0 Vikings. Missouri Valley scored three runs on two hits, an error and left one on base.
 
Andrea Page (Palisade) hit a leadoff single and then Dreyer hit a single as the Bobcats had runners on first and second. A fielder's choice later ended the inning. Not much happened offensively for either team in the third.
 
Missouri Valley scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning. It started with a two RBI double to make the score 6-0. Then an RBI single made the score 7-0. The Vikings hit a three-run home run to left center as they were now leading 10-0. Missouri Valley scored six runs on six hits.
 
Page hit a leadoff single in the home half of the fourth. Then Hamblen hit a single into right. Dreyer then reached on a fielder's choice. Kylee Weiss (El Dorado, Kan.) hit a two RBI double to make the score 10-2. Peru State scored two runs on three hits and left one on base.
 
The Vikings were able to draw a walk in the top of the fifth but that was it. Peru State went down in order in the home half of the fifth and that ended the game via mercy rule.
 
Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) took the loss pitching 3.2 innings striking out a batter giving up seven runs on eight hits five were earned. Maddi Post (Lincoln) pitched 1.1 innings in relief giving up three earned runs on three hits.
 
Page led the way in hits with two. Weiss had two RBIs on the day.
 
Peru State is at home this Wednesday, April 12, for a midweek doubleheader against Benedictine. First pitch is at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.