In their first games of the 2013 campaign last weekend, the Peru State Bobcat baseball team faced the NAIA’s pre-season 10th-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University (OKBU) Bison in Shawnee, Okla.
After a shaky first two games against the Bison, Peru State responded with a 3-2 win to go 1-2 in the trip to Oklahoma. The Bison improved to 4-5 having played six games prior to facing the Bobcats.
Friday, Feb. 15 Game
Playing under the lights, the Bobcats found the going to be rough early on. The Bison rocked Peru State for seven runs in the bottom of the first and added two more in the bottom of the second to take a 9-0 lead after the first two innings.
The Bobcats first got on the board in the top of the third as Ronnie Tanner (Havertown, Pa.) hit a homer over the right field fence to make it 9-1. Following Tanner’s home run, the ‘Cats loaded the bases, but could not capitalize as the last two batters struck out.
The Bison added three more in the bottom of the inning to lead 12-1 after three.
In the top of the fourth, Tyler Cherin (Seattle, Wash.) reached on a walk and went to third on a single by Jake Wright (Freeport, Fla.).  Cherin would score on a fielder’s choice as Tanner reached base, but Wright was forced out at second. Again, the ‘Cats would eventually load the bases only to not score any additional runs.
OKBU would not score in the bottom of the fourth and neither team scored in the fifth.
The Bobcat bats came to life in the top of the sixth.  Wright started things off with a homer over the left field fence. Tanner reached on a walk and then stole second. Tyler Croushorn (Omaha) followed with a single to left, driving in Tanner. Croushorn went to second on a wild pitch and then scored when Aubrey Dezarn (Las Vegas, Nev.) tripled to deep right-center.  Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) doubled to right scoring Dezarn. Following a pitching change, the next two Bobcats were out. Derrick Davis (Orange Park, Fla.) hit a home run to right, bringing in Voigt, making it 12-7 at that point.
Neither team would score again until the Bison added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and eventually won 13-8.
Croushorn led the team with three hits and one RBI. Dezarn, Voigt, Wright, and Tanner each added two hits with Davis and Tanner each having two RBI.
Ryan Grabowski (Omaha) started on the mound for Peru State and took the loss. Grabowski pitched three innings and gave up six hits, 12 runs – 11 earned, and struck out four. Timothy Patterson (Destin, Fla.) pitched two innings for Peru State, did not allow any hits, and struck out three.  Danny Borst (Moreno Valley, Calif.) also pitched two innings in relief, not allowing any hits, and struck out one.  Brent Brown (Hemet, Calif.) pitched the final inning and gave up one run on one run. Brown struck out three.
Saturday, Feb. 16 – Game 1
It was a closer game initially in the first contest on Saturday until the Bison exploded for a bunch of runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
In the first inning, OKBU scored three and followed with one more in the bottom of the second to take an initial 4-0 lead going into the top of the third.
In the top of the third, Peru State scored its only runs of the game.  Croushorn started with a triple to center and scored when Randy Santiesteban (Hialeah, Fla.) singled to left. Santiesteban moved to second on a ground out and eventually scored when Davis hit another two-run home run on a 3-1 count. But, that would be the end of the PSC scoring as they trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the fourth.
In the Bisons’ fourth, they scored seven runs and followed with nine more in the bottom of the fifth. That was the end of their scoring as they eventually won 20-3.
Santiesteban was the only Bobcat to have more than one hit as he finished the game with two. Croushorn, Voigt, Davis, Phil Lial (Las Vegas, Nev.), and Tanner each had one with Davis having two RBI.
Dezarn was on the mound for Peru State and was tagged for the loss having thrown three and two-thirds innings while allowing 11 hits and nine runs – eight earned. Dezarn struck out two.
Patterson threw one inning of relief and did not experience the same success as the night before as he gave up ten runs – all earned, on just four hits.
Croushorn pitched the final one and one-third innings allowing just two hits and gave up one earned run.
Saturday Game 2
The nightcap was more of a pitching duel between the teams than either of the first two games.
OKBU managed to score only two runs, both coming in the second inning. It was not until the sixth inning when Peru State got on the board.  Tanner reached on a walk and went to second on a balk by the Bison pitcher. Croushorn also got on base with a walk and Dezarn reached on a wild throw. With the bases loaded, another wild pitch allowed Tanner to come home, but the next two Bobcats could not help bring home the other two on base. Going into the bottom of the inning, the Bison still led 2-1.
After holding OKBU scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, Davis reached with a single through the hole at shortstop. Dan McGonigle (Blue Springs, Mo.) came in to run for Davis and advanced to second on a stolen base.  Cherin singled to left bringing home McGonigle to tie the game at 2-2.  Grabowski was hit by a pitch, moving Cherin to second. Cherin later stole third and scored when Tanner singled thru the hole at shortstop, putting Peru State up 3-2.
The Bison went down in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Bobcats their first win of the 2013 campaign.
Santiesteban, Davis, Cherin, and Tanner each had one hit with Cherin and Tanner each having one RBI.
Marshall Klontz (Auburn, Wash.) started the game for Peru State and threw five innings, just allowing two runs – one earned, one four hits.  Klontz struck out four Bison batters.
Voigt pitched the final two innings and was credited for the win as he only allowed one hit and struck out three.
Upcoming Games
The Bobcats were scheduled to have a home doubleheader on Monday, Feb. 18, against Dakota State University, but Mother Nature’s 40-degree temperature, along with the winds, forced a cancellation.
This weekend, Feb. 22 and 23, Peru State is scheduled to play four games in Leavenworth, Kan., against the University of St. Mary Spires.  However, the weather at this point does not look promising. Presently, the Spires are 2-4.
Weather permitting, the ‘Cats will head to Ottawa, Kan., to play three games against the Braves on March 1 and 2 and one game against Rogers State University on March 2. Ottawa is currently 1-3 while Rogers State is 10-3.
Following a trip to Tucson for a tournament, the Bobcats will not be back at home until they start Heart of America Athletic Conference play against Graceland University on Saturday, March 16.