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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State Softball team finished the 2012 season with a 29-28 record after being eliminated from the MIAA Tournament on Thursday (April 26) afternoon. The team fell 7-2 to Fort Hays State in the opening round and 11-5 to Northwest Missouri in the first elimination round.

Pitt State was out hit 10-4 against Fort Hays State, resulting in the 7-2 loss.
 
The Tigers got on the board first, scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. They tacked on three runs on four hits in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Pitt State scored its first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Mitchell reached on a base hit and advanced two bases on a throwing error. She scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-1.
 
A two-run home run by Maddie Holub in the bottom of the fourth, put Fort Hays up 6-1. The team scored its final run in the sixth.
 
Pitt State added its second run in the top of the seventh on a leadoff home run by Mannie DeCastro, her 17th of the season.
 
Mitchell had two of the four hits for the Gorillas in the game. DeCastro and Tiffany Brown each had one.
 
Erbert took the loss in the circle to move her record to 13-14 on the year.
 
The Gorillas had a rough first inning against Northwest Missouri and though the team fought back, it was not able to recover.
 
The Bearcats scored seven runs on seven hits and an error in the bottom of the opening frame, including a grand slam by Rachael Schmitz. Pitt State pitchers Tiffany Brown and Jessica Barnes each faced five batters before being relieved. Hilary Erbert entered the game with one out in the inning, offered up one walk, then retired the next two batters to end the inning.
 
Pitt State got on the board with two runs in the top of the second. Brown opened the inning with a base hit and Kreslee Ketcham pushed her home with a two-run home run, her eighth of the season.
 
Neither team plated a run in the third or fourth innings, but the Gorillas were able to add two in the fifth. Riley Campbell led off the inning with a home run, her third of the season. With two outs, Mitchell hit her 21st double of the season to left field. DeCastro added a base hit to right, putting runners at first and third. A Tiffany Brown base hit through the left side, narrowed the lead to just three runs, 7-4.

The bottom of the sixth saw the Bearcats scored four more runs on four hits, three walks and an error to take an 11-4 lead.

The Gorillas added a run in the final half inning. Brown earned an infield base hit with one out in the inning. She was put out at second on a fielder's choice, but Kreslee Ketcham was safe at first. Kayla Sears added a base hit down the left field line. A base hit through the left side by Katelyn Birchfield scored Ketcham from second for the final 11-5 score.

Brown was the first pitcher in the loss to finish the season with a 3-6 record. HIlary Erbert finished the game, striking out eight batters in 5.2 innings.

Offensively, Brown led the team with a 3-for-4 performance in the game. She scored a run and earned an RBI. Ketcham was 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.