WICHITA, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State Softball team (17-9) split games of a rainy doubleheader at Newman (7-24) on Wednesday (March 25). Pitt State took the first game 5-3, before falling 7-5 in game two on a Jets walk-off grand slam.
The Gorillas tallied five runs on eight hits and one Newman error, while the Jets scores three runs on five hits. Cheslyn Mitchell and Nicole Nease each had 2-for-4 performances. Mitchell hit a home run, scores two runs and recorded one RBI. Kylie Guthier was 1-for-4 in game, but her one hit produced two runs for Pitt State.
The Gorillas got on the board first with a solo home run by Jordan Bradshaw in the top of the third.
The top of the fourth brought Mitchell's lead off home run for a 2-0 lead.
A hit batter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second brought the Jets within one at 2-1.
Mitchell reached on an error to lead off the sixth inning. Nease followed with a base hit. Lawren McKinney came in to run for Mitchell at second. She advanced to third on a McKenzie Rynard fielder's choice that put Nease out at second. Devon McCreath picked up an RBI with a base hit to right field to bring McKinney home to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Gorillas.
Pitt State added to its lead in the seventh. With one out, Katy Remy reached on a wild pitch on a strikeout. Mitchell added a base hit. With two outs, both Remy and Mitchell advanced on a wild pitch, putting two runners in scoring position for Guthier. Guthier smacked a base hit through the left side for two RBI in what would prove to be the game winning hit.
Emmie Robertson earned the win. She struck out 10, walked five and hit one, while giving up three earned runs.
Newman used a two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to make the final score 5-3.
Game two saw the Gorillas again lead for most of the game, but a five run seventh inning led to the 7-5 loss.
All of Pitt State's scoring was done off three home runs. Mitchell started the game with a two-ou, solo home run in the top of the first. Mitchell added a hit in the top of the fourth and was followed by a Nease home run down the left field line. Catie Cummins led off the fifth with a base hit. This time it was Bradshaw that followed with a home run to left, her second of the day.
Newman had nine hits in the game. Four hits in the fourth inning led to two runs. In the seventh, a ground out with the bases loaded brought home the first run. With the bases still loaded, Kaitlyn Buck stepped up and hit the walk off grand slam.
Zoe Price took the loss in the circle. All seven runs were earned. She struck out five batters, walked three and hit one.
Pitt State will take its 6-0 MIAA record on the road this weekend as it resumes league play at Emporia State and Washburn. The Gorillas take on the Lady Hornets at 3 and 5 p.m. in Emporia on Friday (March 27) and the Ichabods at 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturday (March 28).
