Late-Game Heroics Lead to Sweep of Peru

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Highlights
Two come-from-behind wins for MNU put the Pioneers at the top of the HAAC on Friday. In Game 1, MNU's Tino Luna and Peru State's Miguel Navarro were dominant on the mound, allowing 6 hits combined in the contest. Peru State got on the board in the top of the third when an error and a wild pitch put a runner on 3rd with 1 out. The Bobcats scored on a sac fly and took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth. MNU tied the game when Clayton Brandt bunted for a hit, moved up on a sac bunt, and scored when he stole 3rd and the ball was thrown into left field. The Pioneers took the lead after Jordan Eckley singled and moved up on an error, then Peru State uncorked 2 wild pitches to bring the go-ahead run home. Luna closed out the seventh in order to claim the win. Luna struck out 7 and allowed 2 hits and no earned runs, and Clayton Brandt (2-3, R, SB) had half of MNU's 4 hits.

In Game 2, MNU trailed 5-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh. Seth Lieser led off with a double, and after 1 out, 3 straight hit batsmen brought in a run and loaded the bases. Carlos Vargas singled to center to bring home another run, and Joe Smith's sac fly tied the game. Neither team could produce opportunities in extra innings until the bottom of the eleventh when MNU loaded the bases with no outs after 2 errors and an HBP. Trent Sullivan then worked a bases-loaded walk to win the game. Nick Kevlin threw 6 innings of scoreless relief for the victory, and Brandt (1-3, R, RBI, BB, HBP), Trent Sullivan (0-2, R, 2 RBI, BB, HBP), and Seth Lieser (1-3, 2B) led the offense.

MNU is 14-9 (7-3 HAAC). The next game is a double header tomorrow vs. Peru State (15-8, 6-4) at 1:00.