PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State softball team lost both games of a doubleheader to Central Missenouri on Wednesday (April 15) evening. Though the Gorilla offense attempted to come back in both games, they came up just short.
Game one was all about free bases and the long ball. Central Missouri scored all three of its runs in the top of the third. A walk and a hit batter put two tunners on for Alex Leonhart who hit a three-run home run for the 3-0 lead.
Pitt State scored both of its runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ashton Pratt led off with a walk. Two batters later, Nicole Nease hit her 13th home run of the season to cut the Jennies lead to 3-2. The Gorilla offense loaded the bases, but left three batters stranded to end the inning.
The Jennies scored three runs on three hits and a Gorilla error to go up 3-0 in the top of the first in game two.
Three consecutive Central Missouri hits to lead off the third gave them a 5-0 lead and sent Gorilla starter Lynsey Conner to the dugout. Kylie Guthier came in to replace her and allowed only one hit, which scored the remaining runner left by Conner, before ending the inning down by six runs.
The fourth inning saw UCM add three more runs on three hits and a Pitt State error for a 9-0 lead.
The Gorillas cut the Jennies lead to seven in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Guthier.
Ashton Pratt got the Gorilla bats started in the fifth with a base hit through the right side. Katy Remy added another hit deep on the left side of the infield. With two outs, Kylie Guthier blasted a base hit up the middle to score Pratt. Remy came home as Alex Perez dropped a base hit in right field to cut Central Missour's lead to 9-4.
Catie Cummins led off the Gorilla half of the sixth with a double.With one out, Jordan Bradshaw knocked a home run out of right field to make the score 9-6. A two-out Remy base hit kept the Gorillas going. Nease added a double to score Remy from first, bringing the Gorillas within two.
The Jennies stretched their lead in the top of the seventh with two runs on three walks, a hit batter and a fielder's choice.
Emmie Robertson took the loss in game one. She struck out 11 Jennies batters in the loss. Lynsey Conner took the loss in game two.
Pitt State will travel to Arkansas-Monticello for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.
