PSC Sports
Ted Harshbarger, Associate Athletic Director
DES MOINES – The Peru State baseball team split a pair of games in Des Moines on Saturday with Grand View.
The Bobcats took the first game 9-1 and then dropped the second game 8-7. Peru State is now 20-11 on the year and are 12-8 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North division. The Vikings, who won the series 3-1, are now 15-16 on the year and are at .500 in the conference at 8-8 in the Heart North.
First Game Action
After leaving two on base in the first inning, the Bobcats scored more than enough runs to win in the second inning. Darren Hasch (Destin, Fla.) singled to right to start the inning. Seth Thomason (Crestview, Fla.) singled to left with Hasch stopping at second. Chaz Dunn (Falls City) followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Edwin Muniz (Dorado, Puerto Rico) reached on a fielder’s choice with Hasch forced out at home. Jordan Kelly (Omaha) reached with a walk to drive in Thomason for the first run. Joshua Banuelos (Moreno Valley, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Dunn to make it 2-0. Gianfranco Garlobo (Carolina, Puerto Rico) singled to center to drive in Muniz with Kelly stopping at second. Bryan Ventura Castro (Carolina, Puerto Rico) doubled to center to bring home the fourth and final run of the second inning.
Grand View would score their only run in the bottom of the third.
In the top of the fifth, Peru State would add some additional runs. Garlobo singled to center to start the inning and Ventura Castro reached with a walk. After an out, Hasch singled to right to drive in Garlobo with Ventura Castro moving to third. Thomason singled to left to drive in Ventura Castro to make it 6-1.
Peru State would add some additional runs in the top of the sixth. After an out, Kelly singled to left. After the second out, Kelly stole second. Garlobo singled to right to score Kelly. Ventura Castro double to right with Garlobo stopping at third. Eric Ocasio (San Juan, Puerto Rico) singled to right to drive in both Garlobo and Ventura Castro for the final 9-1 score.
The Bobcats score their nine runs on 14 hits and committed one error. Grand View scored their lone run on six hits and did not have any errors.
Both Garlobo and Ventura Castro went three for three to lead the team. Hasch and Thomason each added two hits. Garlobo and Ocasio each had two RBI.
Cory Royer (Las Vegas) threw a complete game to pick up the win. Royer allowed six hits, one earned run, and struck out four.
Second Game Action
Grand View scored one in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, after an out, Hasch homered to right on a 0-0 count to tie the game at 1-1.
In the top of the third, Joshua Santiago (Carolina, Puerto Rico) singled to left and went to second when Kelly laid down a sacrifice bunt. Banuelos would single to second with Santiago stopping at third. On a wild pitch, Banuelos would move to second. On a ground out, Santiago would score with Banuelos moving to third. Ventura Castro singled to left to drive in Banuelos to make it 3-1.
Santiago would hit a home run in the top of the fourth on a 3-2 count to put Peru State up 4-1 at that point.
Grand View would cut the deficit in half by adding a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-2.
In the top of the fifth, Banuelos started the inning with a single. After an out, Banuelos stole second. Ventura Castro doubled to right to drive in Banuelos to make it 5-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Grand View would score one, but Peru State got out of a jam as the Vikings left the bases loaded.
Hasch led off the top of the sixth for Peru State with a single to center. Muniz followed with a double with Hasch moving to third. After two outs, a wild pitch allowed Hasch to score to put the score at 6-3.
The Vikings would explode for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Banuelos started with a single to right and would go to third when Garlobo singled to center. After an out, Banuelos would score on a ground out. The Vikings would eventually stop the scoring threat to win 8-7.
Grand View scored their eight runs on ten hits and committed one error. Peru State scored with seven runs on 12 hits and did not have any errors.
Banuelos led the team with three hits while Ventura Castro, Hasch, Muniz, and Santiago each had two hits. Ventura Castro led the team with two RBI.
Alberto Rosario (Carolina, Puerto Rico) threw the first 5 innings for the Bobcats. Rosario allowed 8 hits, 3 earned runs, and struck out 4. Felix Rodriguez (Carolina, Puerto Rico) threw 0.2 innings and was tagged for the loss. Rodriguez allowed 1 hit, 4 earned runs, and struck out 1. Carlos Gonzalez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico) did not record any outs, but allowed 1 hit and 1 earned run. Jose Mendez (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) recorded one out with a strike-out.
Upcoming Games
Peru State will play three double headers this week with the first one on Tuesday at home. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) will be the visitors for a 1 p.m. start. The Pioneers are 18-12 on the year and are 13-7 in the Heart South division.
The Bobcats will then play a non-conference double header when they travel to Orange City, Iowa, for a late afternoon double header with Northwestern. Presently, the Red Raiders are 15-14 this season.
The ‘Cats will then host another conference double header on Saturday, April 14, when the Heart’s top team comes to Peru. Central Methodist (Mo.) is 27-8 on the year and the Eagles are 16-4 in the Heart South.
