Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Emporia State Box | Concordia Box | Season Stats (html version)

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Pittsburg State Softball team split 3-2 decisions at the Missouri Western Invitational on Friday (March 21). The Gorillas defeated No. 12 Emporia State, but fell to Concordia St. Paul.

Against Emporia State, each team recorded five hits. Emporia State had two errors, while the Gorillas had only one. Cheslyn Mitchell led the Gorillas with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a run scored.

Kylie Harpst threw the complete game in the win for the Gorillas to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Pitt State opened the scoring in the first inning. Brenna George reached on an error by the Hornets' pitcher to start the inning. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Letts. After a walk by Tiffany Brown, McKenzie Rynard knocked George home with an RBI base hit for a 1-0 Gorilla lead.

Emporia State scored its two runs on a two run home run by Kaitlyn Caston in the top of the second.

The score stayed that way, with a 2-1 Emporia State lead, until the bottom of the fourth when the Gorillas again took advantage of Emporia State errors. Mitchell led off the inning with a base hit to right field. Kylie Harpst moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Following the second out of the inning, George reached on an error and used her speed to advance all the way to third, while Mitchell scored. George then came home on an RBI base hit by Letts.

In game two, Concordia-St. Paul scored three runs on nine hits and one Pitt State error. The Gorillas managed two runs on only four hits and one Golden Bear error. George had two of the four Pitt State hits.

Sam Grove took the loss in the circle, though none of the runs she gave up were earned, She also walked two batters and struck out two. Her record is now 7-3.

Pitt State scored both of its runs in the bottom of the second. George led off the inning with a base hit. Letts followed with a two-run home run, her second of the season.

The Golden Bears scored all of their runs on two hits, a triple and a home run, and a Gorilla error in the fifth.

Saturday (March 22), the Gorillas will take on Minnesota State at 1 p.m. and Northern State at 5 p.m. These games times have been pushed back one hour due to expected cold temperature in the morning in St. Joseph.