Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Season Stats (html version)

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The Gorillas lost game one 11-2, but came back to win 9-2 in game two, as the Pitt State softball team split a doubleheader with Truman on Saturday (March 23) afternoon.

The two games were almost exact opposites of each other. In game one, Truman scored 11 points on 11 hits and one Pitt State error, while Pitt State scored only two runs off six hits and three Bulldog errors. In game two, Pitt State scored nine runs on 13 hits and three Truman errors, while Truman managed only two runs off six hits an no Pitt State errors.

Truman used just two big innings to score its runs in game one. Back-to-back base hits and a walk in the first inning loaded the bases to set up Cate Simon for a grand slam in the bottom of the first.

The Bulldogs added seven runs on six hits in the third inning, including a three-run home run, as 11 batters came to the plate in the inning.

PItt State scored both of its runs in the top of the fifth. Brenna George and Tiffany Brown led off the inning with back-to-back base hits. Kreslee Ketcham walked to load the bases. Back-to-back base hits by Katelyn Birchfield and Samantha Grove score George and Brown for the only two Gorilla runs of the game.

Haleigh Sills started the game and pitched 2.1 innings, giving up nine runs in the loss. Her record is now 4-2 on the season. 

Truman scored first in game two, putting up a run on a hit.

Neither team scored again until the top of the third when Pitt State put up five runs. George reached on an error to start the inning. She moved to second on a ground out by Cheslyn Mitchell. Birchfield drew a two-out walk. Grove drove a base hit to right to score George. A Kayla Sears walk loaded the bases for Jordan Bradshaw. Bradshaw stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam for a 5-1 Pitt State lead.

George got the Gorillas started again in the top of the sixth as she was hit by a pitch. Tiffany Brown hit the Gorilla's second home run of the game to give Pitt State a 7-1 boost. With two outs, Grove got her third hit of the game, a base hit through the right side. Sears followed with another base hit. A Bradshaw infield signle scored Catie Cummins who was pinch running from Grove and gave Bradshaw her fifth RBI of the game and the Gorillas an 8-1 lead. 

Pitt State scored its final run in the top of the seventh. Mitchell led off with a double. George added a base hit up the middle, as did Brown, scoring Mitchell for the eight-run lead.

Truman scored in the same manner in the bottom of the inning for the final 9-2 score.

Kyndel Shelburn started and pitched the first six innings of the game to earn the win and improve to 6-3 on the season. She gave up only one run on three hits. She walked five batters and struck out four. Kylie Harpst pitched the final inning.

Pitt State is now 17-9 on the season and 5-3 in MIAA play. Truman moves to 16-6 and 4-2 in league action.

The Gorillas play a doubleheader at Arkansas Tech at 2 p.m. on Wednesday March 27 before returning home for conference games against Northwest Missouri at 3 p.m. on Friday (March 29) and against Missouri Western at noon on Saturday (March 30). March 30 will be Pitt State's Kids' Day at the Ballpark with activities for children including, snacks, face painting, an inflatable slide and an Easter egg hunt. All activities will take place between the PSU Softball Complex and Al Ortolani Field.