PERU, Neb. – Chris Luera’s bases-loaded, three-RBI triple in the top of the eighth broke things open in extra innings of the series opener, and Park University took sole possession of first place in the MCAC by beating Peru State 7-1 and 14-1 Friday in Peru, Neb.
Park (14-5, 9-1 MCAC) went to the top of the eighth tied with the Bobcats (12-12-1, 7-3), as Peru scored earlier in the game on a Bo Prather balk, but Park got on the board to tie it at 1-1 in the sixth when Brad Lewandowski doubled home Nick Kouratou.
The Pirates managed to put one on the board to begin the eighth after Kouratou walked and Chris Evans doubled to bring Ryan Fawks to the plate.
Fawks put the Pirates ahead for good with an RBI single, leaving the bases loaded for Luera who made it 5-1 with his second triple of the year.
Park tacked on two more to win the opener 7-1, as Prather got the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. Prather tossed all eight innings for his first complete game of the season, recording nine strike outs on the afternoon.
Josh Hake improved his record to 4-0 on the year, keeping his consecutive innings without an earned run stretch alive by giving up one, unearned, to Peru in a 14-1 victory to secure at least a series split.
Hake has now tossed three-straight complete games.
Evans drove in four in the five-inning win to close out the day, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Kouratou went 3-for-3 in the game, scoring three and also driving in three runs.
Park scored 10 runs in the top of the first to blow open the second game, scoring two on an early two-run double by Evans and three more later in the inning when Fawks doubled with the bases loaded.
Kouratou had two RBIs in the inning, while Brett Gordon, Luera and Pete Peters each drove in one in the highest-scoring inning this season for the Pirates.
Peru State tried to avoid the 10-run rule in their half of the first, getting an RBI single after a fielding error, but Peters and Kouratou each recorded another RBI in the second inning, while Evans moved home the Pirates' final two runs in the second with a two-RBI double to make it 14-1.
The Pirates will go for the series sweep with two games Saturday in Peru, Neb., with the doubleheader getting underway at 1 p.m. Luera is scheduled to start the first game of the day and the third of the series, while Vince Ortega will close the series with game four Saturday.
