(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State baseball team split its series with Mount Mercy on Sunday, April 16, and Monday, April 17. The Bobcats lost the first game 5-2, they won the second 16-15 in nine innings, they won the third game 8-7 in ten innings and they lost the final game of the series 32-6.
 
Peru State is now 12-18 overall and 9-13 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the series went…
 
Game 1 L 5-2 vs. Mount Mercy
 
Neither team could get a run across in the first two innings of the game. Mount Mercy broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the third inning. A two-out RBI double down the left field line made the score 1-0 Mustangs.
 
Peru State went down in order in the home half of the third inning.
 
 Mount Mercy was able to hit another two out double and the runner advanced 90-feet away from the plate via a balk but a pop-up ended the top of the fourth. Peru State went 1-2-3 in the fourth.
 
Mount Mercy scored its second run of the game after a one-out double to right field and then an RBI single to make the score 2-0. The Mustangs scored one run on two hits and left one on in the fifth.
 
Angel Andrades (Humacao, P.R.) hit a leadoff single to left center in the bottom of the fifth inning. Efrain Torres (Aibonito, P.R.) hit a single to left and moved Xavier Solla (Bayamon, P.R.) who came into pinch run over to second. Josue Francisco (San Cristobal, D.R.) moved the runners over to scoring position with a sac bunt.
 
Josue Cisnero (Santo Domingo, D.R.) hit a productive RBI groundout to bring a runner into score. Jacob Aberg (Lincoln) hit an RBI single to tie the game at two all. Peru State scored two runs on three hits and left one on.
 
Mount Mercy in the top of the sixth inning hit back-to-back singles to get runs on first and second. Then a three-run blast over the right center fence gave Mount Mercy a 5-2 lead in the sixth. The Mustangs scored three runs on three hits in the sixth.
 
Yodelvy Garcia (Santiago, D.R.) hit a two-out triple into right field but a strikeout ended any threat for the Bobcats.
 
The Mustangs threatened in the top of the seventh with two singles but the runners were left stranded. Peru State went three up three down in the seventh to end the game.
 
Diego Oquendo (Merida, Venezuela) took the loss pitching six innings striking out four batters giving up five earned runs on eight hits. Hunter Abney (King City, Mo.) tossed 0.2 innings on the mound and Garrett Pavletich (Bakersfield, Calif.) tossed 0.1 innings on the mound striking out a batter.
 
Aberg and Garcia led the way in hits with two each. Aberg and Cisnero each had an RBI.
 
Game 2 W 16-15 (F/9) vs. Mount Mercy
 
Mount Mercy started out game two with a leadoff triple to right field and would then score on the throw. The Mustangs threatened with runners after a single and a hit by pitch each runner advanced via a passed ball. The Mustangs would leave the runners on the bags. Mount Mercy scored one run on two hits and left two on.
 
Aberg reached first on an error in the home half of the first then advanced to second. Will Reynolds (Bakersfield, Calif.) hit an RBI single to tie the game at one. Josue Vazquez (Salinas, P.R.) singled on a bunt to lade the bases. Then Garcia reached on a fielder's choice bringing in a run and Peru State the 2-1 lead.
 
Andrades then hit an RBI single to make the score 3-1 Bobcats. Peru State scored three runs on three hits an error and left three on base.
 
The scoring picked back in the third inning as the Mustangs led off with a home run to right field. That would be the only run Mount Mercy got across in the third as they now trailed 3-2.
 
Peru State went three up three down in the third.
 
Mount Mercy was threatening in the fourth after a walk and a single then both runners advanced into scoring position via a wild pitch. A two RBI single gave the Mustangs a 4-3 lead. Then a double to left center had runners in scoring position.
 
Later in the inning a walk loaded the bases. A hit by pitch scored the fifth run of the game for the Mustangs. Mount Mercy then had a bases clearing double to score its sixth, seventh and eighth runs of the game but runner was thrown out at third. Mount Mercy scored six runs on four hits in the fourth.
 
Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Bobcats in the home half of the fourth inning. Then Wes Bradford (Bakersfield, Calif.) drew a walk bringing in a run to make the score 8-4. Then Vazquez singled to right bringing the Bobcats fifth run of the game.
 
Garcia hit a two RBI single to make the score 8-7. Andrades then hit an RBI single to tie the game at eight. Torres had a productive groundout as Peru State regained the lead 9-8. Peru State scored six runs on four hits and left one on.
 
Randy Jimenez (Santiago De Los Caballeros) came into pinch hit and hit a single to second. Aberg then hit a sac bunt to move the runner over. Bradford hit an RBI single to make the score 10-8 Bobcats after five innings of play.
 
In the home half of the sixth inning Garcia hit a home run to right center to make the score 11-8. Later in the inning Francisco grounded into a double play but brought a run across as the Bobcats were leading 12-8 with one into play.
 
Mount Mercy got a two out rally going in the seventh. Starting with a single and then a double to left center as the Mustangs had runners in scoring position. The bases were loaded and then a hit by pitch scored the ninth run of the game for the Mustangs.
 
Later in the inning a balk call scored the tenth run of the game and then a two RBI single tied the game at 12. Mount Mercy scored four runs on three hits and left one on base.
 
Peru State went three up three down in the seventh.
 
In the top of the eighth the Mustangs led off with a single then a sac bunt moved the runner into scoring position. An RBI single scored the 13^th run of the game for the Mustangs. Then a two-run home run to right center made the score 15-12 Mount Mercy. The Mustangs scored three runs on five hits and left two on.
 
Garcia hit a one-out home run in the home half of the eighth to make the score 15-13. Francisco later loaded the bases. Then a two RBI single from Jimenez tied the game at 15. Peru State scored three runs on three hits and left two on.
 
Mount Mercy went three up three down in the ninth. Bradford drew a leadoff walk in the ninth. Then Vazquez drew a walk. Garcia then singled to right field for a walk-off as Peru State won the game.
 
Vazquez took the win pitching an inning and striking out one batter. Micah McLeod (Franklin County, Fla.) pitched 3.2 innings striking out three batters giving up six earned runs on seven hits. Fernando Falero (Carolina, P.R.) pitched 3.2 innings striking out five batters giving up six earned runs on five hits. Luis Pachecho (Miami, Fla.) pitched 0.1 innings striking out a batter giving up one earned run on three hits and Pavletich pitched 0.1 innings giving up two earned runs on one hit.
 
Garcia led the way with three hits and four RBIs in the second game.
 
 
Game 3 W 8-7 (F/10) vs. Mount Mercy
 
Peru State got the scoring started in the home half of the second inning when Andrades hit an RBI single to make the score 1-0 Bobcats. Peru State scored one run on two hits and left one on base.
 
Mount Mercy took the lead in the top of the third inning. The Mustangs tied the game with an RBI double. Then later in the inning they took a 2-1 lead after an RBI single into left. The Mustangs scored two runs on two hits an error and left one on base.
 
Bradford tied the game in the home half of the third inning with an RBI single as the score was now 2-2.
 
Mount Mercy took the lead right back in  the top of the fourth with a two-out RBI single to right as the Mustangs now led 3-2. Mount Mercy scored one run on one hit and left two on in the top of the fourth. The scoring then subsided until the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Jimenez led off with a single and then Aberg was hit by pitch as Peru State had runners on first and second. Reynolds then executed a sac bunt to move the runners over to second and third.
 
Vazquez hit an RBI single to tie the game at three apiece. Peru State scored one run on two hits and left three on base.
 
Mount Mercy hit a leadoff single but then the runner was picked off. A double play ended the inning for the Mustangs. Peru State went three up three down in the sixth.
 
The Mustangs drew a leadoff walk but was unable to bring the runner around to score. Aberg was hit by pitch but was also picked off on the fifth straight pick off attempt for the final out of the seventh going into extra innings.
 
Mount Mercy went down in order in the eighth. Vazquez hit a leadoff single in the eighth but the Bobcats were unable to bring the winning runner home.
 
The Mustangs threatened with a two-out walk and a single but a fielder's choice ended the top of the ninth inning. Francisco hit a leadoff single and Solla came into pinch run. Solla ended up stealing second but a strikeout ended the ninth.
 
Mount Mercy hit a two-run home run to left field to take a 5-3 lead in the tenth. Then an RBI single made the score 6-3. The Mustangs scored their seventh run of the game from a single into center field. The Mustangs scored four runs on five hits an error and left two on.
 
Bradford led off the bottom of the tenth with a single. Pavletich singled and Garcia walked to load the bases. Torres hit an RBI single to make the score 7-4. Then an RBI triple from Francisco down the right field line tied the game at seven. Jimenez hit a walk-off single as the Bobcats won the game 8-7, scoring five runs on five hits in the tenth.
 
Kevin Diaz (Dominican Republic) pitched seven innings striking out seven batters giving up three runs on five hits two of the runs were earned. Vazquez pitched 2.2 innings striking out three batters giving up four runs on six hits, three of which were earned. Pavletich also tossed 0.1 innings on the mound striking out a batter.
 
Jimenez and Vazquez led the way with three hits each. Francisco had three RBIs.
Game 4 L 32-6 vs, Mount Mercy
 
Mount Mercy poured on the runs in the final game of the series. They loaded the bases with two walks and a single in the first. A sac-fly to left scored the first run of the game. Then an RBI double made the score 3-0. A three-run home run to center made the score 6-0 Mustangs. Mount Mercy scored six runs on three hits in the first.
 
Aberg drew a leadoff walk and then Reynolds walked. Later in the inning Aberg scored on a wild pitch. Peru State trailed 6-1 after one. Mount Mercy hit a three-run home run in the second to make the score 9-1.
 
Then an RBI single made it 10-1. The Mustangs hit an RBI double and then a two-run home run to make the score 13-1. Later in the inning an RBI single and then a grand slam made the score 18-1. An RBI double had the Mustangs score their 19^th run of the game.
 
A two RBI double made the score 21-1. The Mustangs scored twice more in the second as they were leading 23-1. Mount Mercy scored 17 runs on 14 hits two errors and left two on base.
 
Peru State was able to score its second run of the game via an error from the second base as they trailed 23-2 after two.
 
Mount Mercy scored its 24^th and 25^th run of the game in the third from a double down the left field line and then a single and an error on the throw. Peru State did not put up any runs in the home half of the third.
 
Mount Mercy hit another home run in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 26-2. Bradford hit an RBI single to make the score 26-3 after four innings of play.
 
An RBI single in the top of the fifth scored the 27^th run of the game for the Mustangs. Peru State did not score in the fifth. An RBI single and an RBI double scored the 28^th and 29^th runs of the game for the Mustangs in the sixth.
 
Aberg hit an RBI triple in the sixth to make the score 29-4. An RBI double from Bradford and an RBI single from Santiago scored the fifth and sixth runs of the game for the Bobcats. Peru State scored three runs on three hits and left one on in the sixth.
 
Mount Mercy hit a leadoff triple in the seventh. Then a walk had runners on the corners. Mount Mercy hit a three-run home run as they were now leading 32-6. Peru State went three up three down in the seventh.
 
Sergio Benitez-Clemente (Carolina, P.R.) pitched 1.1 innings giving up eight earned runs on four hits as he took the loss. Denson pitched 0.1 innings giving up five runs on four hits four were earned. Josue Vega gave up nine earned runs on seven hits. Abney pitched 1.1 innings striking out two batters giving up three runs on four hits two were earned. Tobin Wingender (Omaha) pitched four innings striking out three batters giving up seven earned runs on eight hits.
Bradford led the way in hits and RBIs with three hits and two RBIs.
 
Peru State hits the road to take on Midland in Fremont, Neb., on Wednesday, April 19. First pitch is set for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.