(Peru, Neb.)- The Peru State Baseball Team played the Mount Mercy Mustangs in a four game series on March 28^th and 29^th. The Bobcats took one from the Mustangs in the series. The team is now 5-11 in the Heart of America and 11-21 overall.
 
Game 1 (Peru State 11 – Mount Mercy 8)
 
The Bobcats got off to a strong start when Antonio Benitez hit a homer on the first pitch of the game. They added two more runs in the first inning, with Gustavo Rivera driving in Jackson Lynch and Jomar Perez hitting a sacrifice to score Airam Betancourt.
 
The home run barrage continued in the second inning as Xavier Solla hit a two-run shot. In the third inning, Kutty George hit a two-run homer, followed by Benitez's second of the game, pushing the Bobcats' lead. Perez added a solo homer in the fourth.
 
Kevin Diaz pitched for the Bobcats, striking out seven and allowing just five runs.
 
Game 2 (Peru State 2 – Mount Mercy 17)
 
The Mustangs took control early, building a commanding lead. Despite the Bobcats' efforts, they were unable to recover from the deficit. Offensively, Peru State managed only two hits throughout the game. Antonio Benitez provided a bright spot with a double to right field. The highlight of the game came in the fifth inning when Airam Bentancourt hit a two-run homerun.
 
On the mound, Blake Denson started for the Bobcats, showing resilience despite the team's struggles. He recorded three strikeouts during his outing, but the Mustangs' offensive dominance overshadowed his efforts.
 
Game 3 (Peru State 0 – Mount Mercy 13)
 
The Peru State Bobcats faced a tough challenge in their matchup against Mount Mercy, falling short. The Mustangs quickly jumped to an early lead that the Bobcats couldn't overcome. Despite the offensive struggles, the Bobcats did manage to put the ball in play, recording three hits in the game. Antonio Benitez, Jomar Perez, and Xavier Solla each contributed one hit apiece, but the offense couldn't generate enough momentum to break through the Mount Mercy defense.
 
On the mound, Blake Urwin got the start for the Bobcats and showed solid command, allowing only three hits during his time on the mound.
Game 4 (Peru State 5 – Mount Mercy 6)
 
The Peru State Bobcats came up short in their matchup against Mount Mercy, despite a late rally attempt. The Bobcats' offense got on the board in the third inning when Gustavo Rivera hit a single to right field, driving in Antonio Benitez for the first run of the game. In the fifth inning, Xavier Solla's sacrifice fly brought in Jonas Meairs-Richman, followed by Jaled Mercader scoring on a passed ball in the sixth. These runs provided some hope for the Bobcats as they tried to keep the game close.
 
In the seventh inning, the Bobcats made a push to steal the win, with Rivera hitting another sacrifice fly to score Meairs-Richman, and Josh Schaller adding to the offense with a single to left field, scoring Solla. However, their efforts fell short as they couldn't capitalize further. Garrett Pavletich pitched all seven innings for Peru State, showing strong command on the mound, striking out five and allowing just nine hits.
 
Next: The Bobcats will be home on April 5^th and 6^th as they will play Graceland at 1 and 3:30 each day.