Upper Iowa Box | Minnesota State Box | Season Stats/custompages/stats/softball/2014/teamstat.htm

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- The Pittsburg State Softball team split games in the opening day of the Eight State Classic on Friday (Feb. 14). The Gorillas beat Upper Iowa, 9-5 in the early game, before falling to Minnesota State-Mankato, 6-4.

Upper Iowa, Pitt State scored its nine runs off seven hits and three Peacock errors. Upper Iowa scored five runs on six hits and one Gorilla error.

Tiffany Brown paced the Gorillas with a 3-for-3 performance that included a walk, two home runs, four runs scored and six RBI. McKenzie Rynard went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Brenna George was 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored.

The Gorillas scored four runs on five hits with two errors against Minnesota State-Mankato. The Mavericks outdid them with six runs on 11 hits and two errors.

Five different Gorillas each got hit in the game, including a home run from Brown and doubles from Alex Perez and Bailey Letts. George led the team with two runs scored.

Pitt State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first against Upper Iowa. George drew a lead off walk. She advanced from first to third on an Alex Perez sacrifice bunt and scored on a throwing error by the Peacock second baseman as she attempted to throw George out at third. Brown was hit by a pitch, the scored the Gorillas' second run on an RBI double by Rynard.

Jordan Bradshaw led off the secodn inning with a walk. George followed with a base hit up the middle. With one out, Brown hit her first of three opening day home runs, giving the Gorillas a 5-0 lead.

Upper Iowa scored two runs on a two-run home run in the top of the third, closing the gap to 5-2.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Brown dropped a base hit in left and advanced to second on an error by the Peacock left fielder. She stole third, the scored on a ground out to second by Kylie Guthier.

Neither team scored in the fifth, but the Gorillas tacked on threemore runs on Brown's second three-run home run of the day in the bottom of the sixth.

The Peacocks answered with a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh. Pitt State left fielder Cheslyn Mitchell made a diving catch in left field to end the inning and the game with a 9-5 Pitt State win.

George also led off the game with MInnesota State-Mankato with a walk. She stole second, advanced to third on a foul fly to left by Perez and scored on an error by the Mavericks first baseman.

MSU used two hits and a Gorilla error to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third.

Pitt State answered back and took the lead in the bottom of the third with a solo home run by Brown.

A walk and four hits led to four Minnesota State runs in the top of the fourth, putting Pitt State down 5-2. The Mavericks added their final run after four base hits in the top of the fifth.

The Gorillas attempted to work a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Bradshaw led off the inning with a base hit through the left side. She moved to second on a George walk and to third as Perez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. All in Tiffany Brown's at bat, Bradshaw scored on an error by the catcher, George scored on a wild pitch and a pitching change was made. Brown was intentionally walked, but some heads up defense by the Mavericks soon ended the inning.

Pitt State got runners on in each of the next two innings, but could not plate another run.

PSU will play again on Saturday (Feb. 15) at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The team takes on Minnesota-Duluth first, followed by Harding.