Live Statistics
PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will travel to Jefferson City, Mo., to face Lincoln University in an MIAA weekend series. The Gorillas and Blue Tigers will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. (CDT) Saturday (Apr. 13) then close out the series with a final game at 1 p.m. Sunday (Apr. 14).
Pitt State enters the series 20-14 overall, 16-12 in the MIAA and tied for fifth place in the conference standings (with Nebraska-Kearney). The Gorillas split a pair of non-conference games Tuesday against the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The Tritons claimed a 3-0 win in the opener before the Gorillas countered with a 7-2 victory in the nightcap.
Lincoln is 4-24 overall, 3-20 in the MIAA and last in the 15-team conference standings. The Blue Tigers, currently in the midst of a seven-game homestand, have posted wins in two of their last four home games at the LU Baseball Field, including a 10-8 victory over No. 5 ranked University of Central Missouri in their last outing Tuesday (Apr. 9).
Pitt State is hitting .332 on the season and scoring 7.1 runs per game. The Gorillas have a 5.05 team ERA.
Junior outfielder Tory Stoffregen leads the Gorillas with a .402 batting average and a team-leading 13 doubles. Senior first baseman Ryan Bilovesky is batting .352 with a 10 home runs and 33 RBI. Junior shortstop Evan Thomas is hitting .339 with three home runs and a team-high 34 RBI, while senior outfielder Ryan Ventura is batting .346 with a team-leading 37 runs scored and 13 stolen bases.
The Gorillas figure to send senior lefthander Matt Stalcup (4-2, 2.75 ERA), senior righthander Cody Wren (2-4, 6.95 ERA) and sophomore righthander Jake Stevenson (2-3, 6.75 ERA) to the mound in the series. Stalcup has allowed just six hits and one earned run in his last two starts, registering 24 strikeouts in 16 innings of work. He leads the MIAA and NCAA Division II in strikeouts (14.4 K/9 IP).
LU is batting .257 on the season and scoring 4.5 runs per game. The Blue Tigers have a 9.30 team ERA.
