Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Season Stats
HAYS, KAN. -- The Pittsburg State softball team lost both games of a doubleheader to Fort Hays State, 5-1 and 7-5 on Saturday (April 21) afternoon. The Gorillas finish the regular season with a 29-26 overall record and an 11-9 conference mark.
In game one, the Pitt State offense was held back by 16 strikeouts from FHSU pitcher Maddie Holub. The Gorillas scored their one run on five hits. The Tigers scored five runs on 12 hits and two Pitt State errors.
Hays scored first, plating a run on four base hits in the bottom of the second.
Both teams were quiet until the fifth inning, as both pitchers worked to keep the other team off the board.
Pitt State broke the scoreless streak and tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Devon McCreath earned the third Pitt State hit of the day with a base hit up the middle with one out in the inning. Brenna George reached on a walk. Cheslyn Mitchell got first extra base hit of the day by either team with a double to left to score McCreath.
Unfortunately, Fort Hays continued the scoring in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers scored three runs on four hits, including a double and a home run, and two Pitt State errors to go up 4-1.
The final run scored on a solo home run in the sixth.
Hilary Erbert threw 5.1 innings in the loss for Pitt State, evening her record at 13-13 on the year. Only three of the five runs she gave up were earned. Tiffany Brown pitched the final .2 innings in relief. Holub earned the win for the TIgers, moving her record to 16-8 on the season.
Game two was much closer and was a battle to the finish, despite Hays Taking an early lead.
The Tigers scored on run on two hits in the first innings and two runs on two hits and a walk in the second to lead 3-0.
After a scoreless third by both teams, the Pitt State bats began to wake up in the fourth. Mannie DeCastro led off the top of the inning with a home run to left, her 16th of the season, now putting her in the lead on the all-time single season home runs list. With one out, Kreslee Ketcham added a double to left and Kayla Sears moved her to third with a base hit through the right side. A ground out by Breanna McCracken scored Ketcham to put the Gorillas within one, 3-2.
The Gorillas went back to work in the top of the fifth. McCreath led off the inning with a base hit up the middle, then stole second. Brenna George drew a walk. Mitchell hit her second double of the day, and her team-leading 20th of the season, to score McCreath and move George to third. George came home on a wild pitch, giving Pitt State the 4-3 advantage.
A Tiger hit, a Pitt State error and a sacrifice fly brought home a run for Fort Hays State in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.
Not about to back down, Sears led off the sixth with a double and scored on a base hit by Riley Campbell to again put PItt State up by one run, 5-4.
Pitt State pitcher Mitchell allowed only one runner on in the bottom of the sixth to hold the Tigers at bay. The Pitt State offense was not able to plate another run in the top of the seventh, leaving them with a precarious one-run lead going into the final half inning.
With two outs, a home run tied the game 5-5. A base hit put the game-winning run on base and a walk off home run ended the game in the 7-5 loss for Pitt State.
Mitchell threw the complete game for Pitt State, suffering only her third loss of the season.
Pitt State now waits to see where it is seeded in the MIAA Tournament which begins Thursday (April 26) in Overland Park, Kan. The conference will release the bracket on Sunday evening. Please log on to www.PittStateGorillas.com for the latest information.
