Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Season Stats

PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Gorilla Softball team (22-22, 8-12 MIAA) splits games of a doubleheader with Nebraska-Kearney (10-24, 8-14 MIAA) on Friday evening (April 11) at the PSU Softball Complex. Pitt State won the first game by a run rule, 8-0, but fell in game two, 6-5.

The Gorillas hit four home runs on the night, one each from McKenzie Rynard and Kylie Harpst in game one and one each from Cheslyn Mitchell and Tiffany Brown in game two. That makes 59 home runs on the season for the Gorillas, tying the school record set by the 2012 squad.

Seven Gorillas recorded hits in game one. Tiffany Brownled the team with a 2-for-2 performance with a run scored and an intentional walk. Cheslyn Mitchell was 2-for-3, but also reached base in all three plate appearances, as she reached on an error in her third at bat. Pitcher Harpst was also 2-for-3, helping her own cause in the circle with three RBI. Rynard and Jordan Bradshaw were each 1-for-2. Rynard had a home run for four RBI.

Harpst improved to 8-6 on the season with the complete game win. She gave up only two hits in the game and allowed only six base runners in five innings of work.

Pitt State scored all of its runs with two outs in the fourth inning. Bradshaw started the two-out rally with a double to center. Brenna George added a base hit. Two errors on the Loper secondbaseman allowed Mitchell to reach and moved to second and Bradshaw to score. UNK elected to intentionally walk Brown. Rynard made them pay with a grand slam, her 14th home run of the season, straight out over the centerfield fence for a 5-0 lead. Nicole Nease and Kylie Guthier earned back-to-back walks. That's when Harpst, who had been the first out of the inning, stepped up to the plate and hit her second home run of the year for the final 8-0 score.

Seven Gorillas got hits again in game two. George, Brown and Guthier each had two hits. George led the team with two runs scored. Brown and Cheslyn Mitchell each recorded two RBI.

The Gorillas were hurt by getting in the hole early, four errors and stranding nine runners.

Nebraska-Kearney scored first, plating four runs on four hits and two errors in the top of the first.

The Gorillas narrowed the lead to just two runs in the bottom of the first. Brenna George led off with a base hit to left. Mitchell hit her third home run of the season to make the score 4-2.

Neither team scored again until the Gorilla half of the sixth. George again started the team, this time with a one-out base hit. This time it was Brown's turn for a home run, her nation-leading 23rd of the season, to tie the game at 4-4.

The Lopers scored two in the top of the seventh on two hits and a Gorilla error.

Back-to-back hits by Nease and Guthier started the Pitt State half of the seventh. A walk to pinch hitter Bailey Letts loaded the bases. Avery Beard lined into a double play at first, putting Letts out, but keeping two runners in scoring position. After striking out in two of her three previous at bats, Bradshaw knocked a base hit to left to score Nease from third. Darion Jaso was running for Guthier at second she reached third and headed for home to attempt to score the tying run, but the ball just beat her from the outfield, ending the game in a 6-5 loss.

Sam Grove pitched the complete game in the loss to even her record at 10-10 on the season. She struck out seven batters and walked none. Only two of the runs she gave up were earned.

Pitt State will take on Fort Hays State at noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday (April 12). It is Melanoma Awareness Day and all fans are encouraged to wear black in support of melanoma awareness. Via Christi hosiptal will be on hand to do free skin cancer screenings. Pitt State will also honor its four seniors, Haleigh Sills, Sam Grove, Brenna George and Tiffany Brown. Their moms will throw out the first pitch in game one and the seniors will be honors between games of the doubleheader.