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PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will play host to Southwest Baptist University this weekend in a four-game MIAA series. The series will begin
Friday (Apr. 4) with a single game at 6 p.m. (CDT) at Al Ortolani Field. The Gorillas and Bearcats will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
Saturday (Apr. 5) and close out the series with a final game at 1 p.m.
Sunday (Apr. 6).
The Gorillas (13-18, 10-14 MIAA) enter the game on a five-game losing streak. Pitt State was swept last weekend at St. Charles, Mo., by Lindenwood before dropping a 3-0 non-conference decision to Missouri Southern
Tuesday (Apr. 1).
The Bearcats enter the series at 14-16 overall and 11-12 in MIAA play. SBU has dropped five of its last six contests, including a four-game sweep by Missouri Southern at Joplin, Mo., last weekend.
The Gorillas are batting .290 as a teamand scoring 5.3 runs per game. PSU has a 5.68 team ERA. Junior utility player Nate Arnold leads the team with a .357 batting average. Senior infielder Brad Foss is batting .355 with a team-high nine doubles on the year. Senior outfielder Cody Ball leads the team in home runs (4) and RBI (26).
Senior righthander Tyler Thompson (4-3) has a 3.94 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 48.0 innings pitched. Thompson is currently tied for the MIAA strikeout lead with 47 and he ranks third in the league in innings pitched. Freshman righthander Cort Lesmeister (3-2) has posted a 4.46 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 34.3 innings of work. Ryan McKay (1-3) leads Pitt State with five saves. The Wichita, Kan., native has notched a 3.80 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 23.7 innings. He currently ranks fourth in the league in saves.
The Bearcats are batting .314 as a team and scoring 6.1 runs per game. SBU has a 7.21 team ERA. SBU has eight players currently batting over .300, led by freshman outfielder Chance Wolfe. The Clever, Mo., native is batting .391 with 22 RBIs on the season. Junior infielder Spencer Blacksher is batting .361 with a team-high 10 doubles, seven home runs and 27 RBIs.
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Cory Borsh (2-2, 4.33 ERA), Cole Roark (2-5, 6.60 ERA), Tim Collins (2-3, 7.36 ERA) and Brady Greear (2-3, 8.37 ERA) are the anticipated starters for the weekend series for the Bearcats.
