Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Season Stats

PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State softball team (28-20, 16-12 MIAA) had to win two games over Central Missouri (24-22, 14-14 MIAA) on Monday (April 29) to ensure a spot in the MIAA Tournament. The Gorillas did just what they needed to, winning game one, 2-0, and game two, 11-2 in five innings.

The Gorillas will begin MIAA Tournament play on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan. Opponents will be announced later this week upon completion of the bracket by the conference.

Pitt State's offense was key to its wins. The team scored 13 runs off 20 hits and two Central Missouri errors through the two games. In game one, Tiffany Brown led the Gorillas with a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI. Catie Cummins was 1-for-2 with an RBI. In game two Kreslee Ketcham was 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Kayla Sears, Riley Campbell and Brown were each 2-for-3. Sears had five RBI in the game, including a walk-off three run home run. Brown scored two runs. Brenna George was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Kyndel Shelburn pitched complete games in both games for the Gorillas. She had eight strikeouts in each game and only gave up one walk. She gave up three hits in each game and only two runs over the two games.

Pitt State scored its two runs in game one in the bottom of the sixth. Riley Campbell led off with a base hit. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brenna George beat out a bunt single to move Campbell over to third. Catie Cummins knocked a base hit to centerfield to score Campbell for the first run of the game. With one out, a base hit to right center by Brown scored George for the 2-0 lead.

The Pitt State defense sat the Jennies down in order  in the top of the seventh to ensure the win.

The Gorillas used a big fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead in game two. Three consecutive base hits with one out in the inning loaded the bases for Cummins. Cummins drove a base hit up the middle, scoring Bradshaw and Campbell for a 2-0 lead. A double by Ketcham added another Gorillas run. Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Birchfield dropped a base hit in left center to score Cummins and put the Gorillas up by four runs. The final two runs scored on a two-RBI base hit by Sears.

Central Missouri scored its two runs in the top of the fifth on home runs by Jill Lucas and Ashlea Bengston.

Pitt State answered with two home runs in the bottom of the fifth. The first was a two run shot by Ketcham, her 12th of the season. The second was Sears' three-run walk-off for the final 11-2 score. It was Sears fourth home run of the year.