PERU, Neb. – Teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference continue to challenge the No. 10-ranked Central Methodist University baseball squad. Peru State College stole a 1-0 Game 1 win Tuesday at the Centennial Complex Field, before Dustyn Macaluso (SR/Sacramento, Calif.) and Andrew Thomas (JR/Parker, Colo.) came through with key RBIs in Game 2 to give the Eagles a 7-5 win and a split.

Trailing 2-1 heading into the fourth inning in the second game, Fernando Villegas (JR/Hutchinson, Minn.) started the inning off with a single. Later in the frame, Thomas (pictured on left) doubled to deep left-center to drive in DeAndre Smith (JR/Fresno, Calif.). That was followed later by a Macaluso (pictured on right) single to left-center, which drove in Thomas and Jared Johnson (JR/DeKalb, Ill.) for the go-ahead runs and a 4-2 lead that the Eagles would never relinquish. Macaluso then iced the contest with a three-run home run in the sixth inning.

Central Methodist (27-8) finished the day still holding on to a share of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Southern Division lead. The Eagles sit at 12-4, while MidAmerica Nazarene (24-10, 14-6 Heart) and Benedictine College (25-16, 14-6 Heart) continue in a deadlock with CMU. Peru State is now 21-9 on the season, 11-5 in the Northern Division and three games behind first-place Clarke University (31-7, 15-3 Heart).

GAME 1 RECAP
Peru State College grabbed a 1-0 defensive battle victory in Game 1, as the Bobcats outhit the Eagles 5-4.

Andrew Robinson (2-0) picked up the win on the hill for the Bobcats. He worked 5.1 innings of scoreless baseball, scattering four hits, while striking out three and walking one. Alberto Rosario grabbed his first save of the season. In 1.2 frames he did not allow a hit, while striking out three and walking two.

Cole Nonweiler (JR/Lakeville, Minn.) (0-1) took the tough loss for Central Methodist. In five innings while gave up just one run on four hits, while fanning two and walking one. Jeff Castillo (SO/Bronx, NY) came out of the CMU bullpen, giving up no runs on one hit with a strikeout and a walk in one inning.

Johnson, Macaluso, Logan Haring (FR/DeKalb, Ill.) and Smith accounted for the four singles in the game for the Eagles. Jaime Del Hoyo and Joshua Banuelos each connected with doubles to lead Peru State.

PSC scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the third.

GAME 2 RECAP
The CMU bats began coming alive in Game 2, as four different Eagles had multiple-hit games in the 7-5 victory.

Macaluso posted a 3-for-4 outing at the dish, driving in a game-high five runs and posting his round-tripper. Johnson was a perfect 2-for-2, with a pair of walks and two runs scored. Villegas doubled and singled in four at-bats, while Zach Beckner (SR/Versailles, Kent.) tripled, doubled and drove in a run. Thomas doubled drove in a run and plated another and Quinn Conley (SR/Thousand Oaks, Calif.) secured a single.

Mark McGinnity doubled twice to lead the Bobcats, while Scout Villanueva posted a 2-for-3 effort, with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

CMU used four pitchers in the game. Kyle Fulton (JR/Monroe City, Mo.) started on the hill and improved his season mark to 3-0 as he recorded the victory. In 3.2 innings he gave up three runs (2 earned) on four hits, with five walks and a pair of strikeouts. Joe Lewis (SO/Coon Rapids, Minn.), Dariel Checo (SO/New York, NY) and C.J. Martin also saw time on the mound.

Alfredo Barroso (2-1) was the losing hurler for Peru State. In four inning he surrendered four runs on eight hits with a pair of walks.

WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR THE EAGLES?
Central Methodist will be close to home on Wednesday, when the Eagles visit Columbia College Wednesday at 6 p.m. in a nine-inning non-conference matchup. CMU will be at home on Friday and Saturday for a four-game series with league foe Evangel University. Friday's doubleheader will start at 2 p.m., while Saturday's twinbill will get underway at 1 p.m.

CMU Baseball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com