(Peru, Neb.) - Peru State College (PSC) marked its first season in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) by winning the 2012 HAAC Tournament with a 4-3 triumph over Central Methodist University (CMU), Saturday afternoon at Phil Welch Stadium, in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
In addition to being the first Bobcat team to win a HAAC title, the 2011-12 Peru State team is the first to qualify for the national tournament.  One of the teams in the early 90's was one game away from a bid, but the 2012 'Cats made history by being the first!
 
Peru State (35-16) will move on to take part in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round, which consists of nine five-team, double-elimination tournaments at pre-determined hosts sites. Those events will run May 10-14 with each site winner advancing to the NAIA World Series, scheduled for May 25-June 1 in Lewiston, Idaho.
 
The nine host city sites include Azusa, Calif.; Marion, Ind.; Paducah, Ky.; Kingsport, Tenn.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Cleveland, Tenn.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; Hutchison, Kan.; and Hardeeville, S.C.
 
Championship Game Action
 
The Bobcats got on the board right away in the bottom of the first inning.  Jonathan Castillo (Paterson, N.J.) started things off by singling to shallow left-center and went to second on a CMU error.  After the first out of the inning, Jeff Eubank (Fort Pierce, Fla.) singled to center, driving in Castillo for the first run for the 'Cats.  Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha) stepped to the plate and blasted a home run over the right field fence on the first pitch he saw.  The homer was only the second of the entire tournament.


 While the Bobcats had more base runners in the first inning, they ended up with a 3-0 lead.
 
The Eagles got their first run in the top of the third inning to cut it to 3-1.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Fredrickson singled down the left-field line to start things for PSC.  Mitch Roberts (Blue Springs) came in as a pinch runner for Fredrickson and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.  J.L. Thomason (Holt, Fla.) singled to right-center to drive in Roberts making it 4-1 PSC.  Again, PSC had more opportunities to score, but did not capitalize.


CMU would add a run in each of the next two innings to make it 4-3. 
 
Both teams managed to work out of innings where the other team had possibilities of scoring in the last four innings with PSC claiming the championship 4-3.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BOX SCORE
 
Derek Voigt (Auburn, Wash.) went three for three while Fredrickson, Eubank, and Thomason each had two hits.  Fredrickson was credited with two RBI while Eubank and Thomason each added one.  
Tim Crawford (Omaha) started on the hill for Peru State and earned the win – his seventh of the year.  Crawford scattered seven hits, gave up three runs – all earned, and struck out three.
 
Danny Borst (Moreno Valley, Calif.) pitched two innings of relief.  Borst allowed three hits, no runs, and struck out one.  
Voigt earned the save by pitching the ninth inning.  Voigt gave up one hit and struck out two Eagle batters.  For Voigt, it was his second save of the year.
 
Next Action
 
The NAIA will announce their final ratings at 3 p.m. (CDT) Sunday, which will be followed by the list of qualifiers at 4 p.m.  Then, at 6 p.m., the brackets for the nine sites will be released, which will indicate where Peru State will be placed and the other four teams they will compete against.