Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 |
Box Score 3 |
Box Score 4
The Pioneers fought off the weather and split a 4-game set with Peru State. On Friday at Peru, MNU scored in the top of the first inning, but the Bobcats responded with 3 in the bottom. A Peru homer extended the lead to 4-1 in the second before the Pioneers plated a run in the third. The score remained 4-2 into the fifth when MNU rallied for 2 runs to tie the game. The Pioneers took the lead with a single run in the sixth, but Peru scored with 2 outs in the seventh to send the game into extras.
Clayton Brandt led off the eighth with a double and scored on a
Tyler Meeks single to give MNU a 6-5 lead. Blake Robberon preserved the victory for
Kyle Olson (5-2), and
Clayton Brandt (3-5, 3 R, 2B, RBI, SB),
Tyler Meeks (2-3, 3 RBI, BB, SF), and
Dillon Moeller 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SB) led the offense.
In Game 2, Brandt led off with a homer and the score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Peru scored twice to take the lead, but
Joe Smith tied the game in the sixth with a solo shot. Peru State retook the lead in the sixth with a solo homer, and the Pioneers had 2 outs and nobody on in the seventh when Brandt walked and stole second.
Ricco Moreno's clutch double tied the game again, but Peru returned the favor with a 2-out rally in the bottom of the inning to take the game.
Games 3 and 4 were played in Olathe on Tuesday after weather rendered Peru's field unplayable. The Pioneer offense managed just a bunt single in the third inning by
Dylan Nave, but they were able to score twice with the help of a couple Peru State errors. The Bobcats answered right back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, and took the lead with a single run in the fourth. MNU couldn't get anything going the rest of the way and fell 3-2.
Tino Luna struck out 7 in 5 innings, but suffered a knee injury on a bunt and couldn't continue.
In the finale, the Pioneer offense struggled again, but starter
Caleb Barnum scattered 5 hits in a complete game shutout as the Pioneers salvaged a split. MNU took a 1-0 lead in the third on a
Ricco Moreno sacrifice fly, then pushed across 3 more in the fourth. With 2 outs and nobody on, the Peru State pitcher lost the strike zone and hit 3 batters and walked another to push across a run. Moreno then drilled a single through the right side for 2 more runs and that was all the offense for the game. Barnum (1-0) struck out 6 and walked none for his first victory. And
Ricco Moreno (1-3, 3 RBI, SF) and
Tomas Mark (1-1, 2 R, 2 HBP) led the offense.
MNU is 14-12 (7-3 HAAC). The Pioneers have a 4-game series at home vs. Avila (15-12, 5-3) on Friday and Saturday at 1:00 each day.
