Peru State Baseball Drops Double Header to Friends

(Peru, Neb.) – It was a wild pair of contests on Saturday in Rose Hill, Kansas, between the Peru State and Friends baseball teams.
 
In the first game, the Bobcats had a 12-10 lead through six innings only to see the Falcons drop a ten-spot in the bottom of the seventh. Friends went on to win 21-12.
 
In the second game, Friends led 7-2 after four innings only to see the 'Cats come back and almost tie it up before losing 7-6.
 
With the double header win, Friends improved to 4-3 on the season. The Bobcats fell to 0-3.
 
First Game Action
 
Peru State would score first in the game. After an out, Hector Torres (Gurabo, Puerto Rico) singled to right. Jesus Tavarez (Santo Domingo, D.R.) hit a two-run home run on a 1-1 count to make it 2-0 Bobcats. Manual Caballero (Dolega, Panama) reached on a walk. After a line out, Julian Fernandez (Middle Village, N.Y.) tripled to deep right-center to drive in Caballero for the third run of the inning.
 
Friends would plate one in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1 after one complete frame.
 
Austin Greenfield (Omaha) singled to right to start the top of the second. On a passed ball, Greenfield went to second. Jose Chacin (Machiques, Venezuela) singled to left with Greenfield moving to third. Jaxson Balm (Auburn) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pitching change, Torres reached on a walk to score Greenfield. Tavarez would follow with a sacrifice fly to score Chacin to put the score at 5-1.
 
The Falcons would score one in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 5-2.
 
Fernandez was hit by a pitch to start the top of the third. Luis Landaeta (Porlamar, Venezuela) reached on a walk as did Greenfield. Chacin singled to left to bring home both Fernandez and Landaeta to put the score at 7-2.
 
Friends would score four in the bottom of the third to make the score 7-6 Peru State.
 
After Peru State failed to score in the top of the fourth, the Falcons took the lead for the first time by scoring three to make it 9-7.
 
Neither team would score in the fifth inning.
 
The Bobcats would regain the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Jackson Tingwald (Ralston) reached as he was hit by a pitch. Fernandez singled to right with Tingwald stopping at second. Landaeta singled to left to load the bases. Greenfield followed with a sacrifice fly to score Tingwald. Chacin singled to right to drive in Fernandez with Landaeta stopping at third. Joycer Raymondi (Berwyn, Ill.) pinch hit from Balm and grounded out, but it drove in Landaeta. Torres would reach on an error and Chacin scored. Torres advance to third on a stolen base and then scored with Tavarez singled to center. At this point, the 'Cats led 12-10.
 
Friends would score one in the bottom of the sixth to make it 12-10. After holding the 'Cats scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Falcons exploded for ten runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 20-12. They would add a run in the bottom of the eighth for the final 21-12 score.

FRIENDS GAME ONE GAME BOOK

Statistics
 
Friends scored their 21 runs on 17 hits and committed one error. Peru State scored their 12 runs on 11 hits and had two miscues.
 
Chacin went four for five to lead Peru State. Tavarez and Fernandez each finished with two hits.
 
Tavarez drove in four runs while Chacin added three. Torres finished with two RBI.
 
Joshua Santiago (Carolina, Puerto Rico) started the game for the Bobcats. Santiago threw 4 innings and allowed 8 hits, 9 runs – 6 earned, and struck out 2. Torres tossed the next 2.1 and was tagged for the loss. He allowed 6 hits, 8 runs – all earned, and struck out 1. Blake Feeken got the next 2 outs. Feeken allowed 2 hits and 3 earned runs. Tingwald tossed the final inning. He allowed 1 hit, 1 earned run, and struck out 1.
 
Game Two Action
 
Once again the Bobcats scored first in the top of the first inning. Darrien Liriano (Orlando, Fla.) was hit by a pitch and then Torres reached on a walk. Tavarez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. On a wild pitch, Liriano scored with the other runners advancing. Tingwald also reached with a walk. On a called batter interference Torres scored to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
 
That lead held up until the bottom of the second when Friends plated five to go up 5-2. The Falcons would add another run in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 6-2. Friends added one more in the next inning to make it 7-2.
 
Peru State would cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. Samuel Neiman (Auburn) reached on a walk as did Chacin. Liriano also got a walk to load the bases. After a pitching change, Torres reached on a fielder's choice with Neiman being forced out at home. Tavarez singled to center with Chacin and Liriano scoring to make it 7-4. Tingwald then singled to left to drive in Torres to pull the Bobcats within two at 7-5.
 
The Bobcats would then try to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Liriano reached on a walk and Torres was hit by a pitch. Tavarez singled to left to drive in Liriano with Torres advancing to second, but Torres was picked off on the play. The 'Cats could not get anything else going and eventually lost 7-6.

FRIENDS GAME TWO GAME BOOK
 
Statistics
 
Friends scored their seven runs on seven hits and did not commit any errors. The Bobcats scored their six runs on four hits and committed six errors.
 
Tavarez led Peru State with two hits going two for three and driving in three. Liriano and Tingwald had the only other hits for the Bobcats. Tingwald and Fernandez were each credited with one RBI.
 
Caballero went the distance for Peru State and suffered the loss. He allowed 7 hits, 7 runs – 5 earned, and struck out 4.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Mother Nature permitting the Bobcats will play a four-game series in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8 and 9, against Avila. The double headers are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. each day. The Eagles started their season in California and dropped all four games.
 
The following weekend, Peru State is heading a lot further south to take on Wayland Baptist in Plainview, Texas. Wayland Baptist is off to a perfect start having won all eight games they have played.