Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State softball team split with Culver-Stockton at home on Sunday, April 2. The Bobcats lost the first game 2-0 and secured the win in the second game 9-4. The Bobcats are now 5-20 overall and 2-6 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play while the Wildcats are now 11-19 overall and 4-6 in Heart play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the doubleheader went…
 
 
Game 1 vs. Culver-Stockton L 2-0
 
Culver-Stockton led off the first with a single and the baserunner then stole two bases as she was 60-feet away from the plate. Peru State was able to get out of the inning unscathed. There was not much offense for the Bobcats in the first as Morgan Wilke (Bakersfield, Calif.) was the only player to reach via an error.
 
Wilke made a spectacular play in the outfield throwing out a runner from center field headed for third. A pop up to short ended the half inning. Carlye Rothschild (Eros, La.) hit a single to center field but that was it for the Bobcats in the second.
 
The Wildcats went down in order in the third inning. Peru State looked as if they were going to get a runner in scoring position but a spectacular play by the Wildcat third base gave the Wildcats a double play.
 
Culver-Stockton still could did not do much offensively outside of a single in the fourth inning and Peru State went three up three down in the fourth. In the home half of the fifth Peru State loaded the bases from a single by Rothschild and walks from Camryn Craddock (Waverly) and Jami Mans (Fairbury). Unfortunately, a flyout to left field ended the inning as the Bobcats left three on base.
 
The Wildcats were able to get a runner aboard via a single in the top of the sixth but were unable to bring her around to score and the Bobcats went 1-2-3 in the sixth.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, it looked as if the Bobcats had gotten the first out of the inning via an impressive catch from the pitcher Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) but she had stepped out of the lane and that is recorded as a ball and since it was a full count the batter was awarded a walk.
 
A sac bunt then moved the runner over to second base. The Wildcats then hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to make the score 2-0. The Wildcats scored two runs on one hit in the seventh.
 
Rothschild hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh but then was later out in a fielder's choice situation. A pop-up and a strike out ended the game.
 
Leach pitched a complete game striking out three batters giving up two runs on five hits both runs were earned.
 
Rothschild led the way with three hits.
 
Game 2 vs. Culver-Stockton W 9-4
 
In the second game the bats came alive in the second inning for the Bobcats. Autumn Dixon (Stilwell, Kan.) led off the home half of the second with a single. Then Peru State got a two out rally going. Kylee Dieckmann (Holton, Kan.) reached on an error and Kaelyn Hamblen (Papillion) hit a single to load the bases.
 
Mans then hit a two RBI single into center field to give Peru State an early 2-0 lead. Ohlde then reached on an error to reload the bases. A wild pitch then scored the third run of the game. Wilke then hit a two RBI single to right bringing in runs four and five.
 
The Bobcats scored five runs on five hits two errors and left two on as they led the Wildcats 5-0 early. Culver-Stockton went three up three down in the top of the third. Sophia Summers (Gardner, Kan.) hit a one-out single to right. Then Dieckmann hit a sac-bunt down the third base line to advance Summers into scoring position.
 
Hamblen then hit an RBI single into center to make the score 6-0 Bobcats. Peru State scored one run on two hits and left one on in third. The Wildcats went three up three down in the fourth.
 
Andrea Page (Palisade) hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth scoring Wilke for Peru State's seventh run of the game. The Bobcats scored one run on two hits an error and left one on base.
 
Culver-Stockton scored its first two runs of the game in the top of the fifth with two outs after two singles a third single got the Wildcats their first run of the game. Then a well-executed double-steal scored the second run of the game for the Wildcats. Culver-Stockton trailed 7-2 after scoring two runs on three hits and leaving one on base.
 
Peru State did not get anything going offensively in the home half of the fifth. In the top of the sixth inning Culver-Stockton scored two more runs from an RBI single and a passed ball. The Wildcats scored two runs on two hits and left one on. Peru State was leading 7-4.
 
Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) hit a leadoff double in the top of the sixth and then stole third. Wilke then hit a sac-fly to left to make the score 8-4 Bobcats. Madison Hundley (Atchison, Kan.) came in and pinch hit and hit a single, Dixon then hit a single as there were runners on first and second. Summers then hit an RBI single to make the score 9-4.
 
Peru State scored two runs on four hits and left three on base. Culver-Stockton went three up three down in the seventh.
 
Bailey Bitz (Ravenna) took the win pitched five innings striking out one batter giving up three runs on six hits all three runs were earned. Maddi Post (Lincoln) pitched two innings in relief striking out one batter giving up one run on one hit.
 
Wilke led the way with three hits and three RBIs.
 
Peru State is on the road this Friday, April 7, at No. 16 Grand View for a doubleheader with first pitch at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. The Bobcats then return home on Saturday, April 8, for a doubleheader with Missouri Valley College first pitch at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.