DURANT, Okla. -- The Pittsburg State softball team got its bats going early, as the team pounded out 23 hits to score 18 runs in two wins on opening day. The Gorillas beat Southeastern Oklahoma 11-3 in game one of the Southeastern Regional Invitational, followed by a 7-2 win over Southwestern Oklahoma later in the afternoon.
Against host Southeastern Oklahoma, eight of the nine Pitt State starters had at least one hit. Nicole Nease, Jordan Bradshaw and Lawren McKinney each hit home runs. Nease also added a double. Kylie Guthier went 2-for-3 and reached base in each of her five at bats. Alex Perez went 3-for-4 and Catie Cummins was 2-for-3 with two doubles.
Emmie Robertson pitched the complete game, giving up three runs on eight hits. She struck out seven batters, while walking only two.
The Gorillas scored at least one run in every inning. Nease started the scoring in the top of the first with a double down the left line to bring home McKinney and Katy Remy.
In the second, Cummins led off with a double and scored on a bunt single by Ashton Pratt.
Nease's solo home run with one out in the third gave Pitt State a 4-0 lead.
The Gorillas tacked on another run in the fourth, this time a leadoff solo shot to left by Bradshaw.
Southeastern Oklahoma got two back in the bottom of the fourth on three base hits and a walk.
Pitt State quickly answered in the top of the fifth. With one out, Guthier and Perez hit back-to-back singles. Following the second out of the inning, Cummins brought them both home with her second double of the day.
Pratt led off the sixth with a base hit and some speedy base running to get her to third before McKinney stepped up to hit her second career home run and give Pitt State a 9-2 lead.
The Gorillas tagged on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Cummins drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved to second on a Bradshaw ground out. Pratt added her third base hit of the day to move Cummins to third. A fielding error on McKinney's at bat allowed Cummins to score. Remy advanced the runners with another base hit before Guthier got her first RBI of the season with a base hit down the left side.
Southeastern snuck one run in in the bottom of the seventh on three consecutive base hits.
Seven of the nine Pitt State starters had hits against Southwestern Oklahoma and everyone reached base safely at least once as the Gorillas marched to a 7-2 win. Perez and Cummins were the only two with multiple hits in the game, as Perez was 2-for-3 and Cummins 2-for-4. Remy and Guthier were the only two Pitt State players with extra base hits, as Remy had a two RBI double and Guthier, a three RBI home run.
Morgan Myers made her first appearance in the circle for the Red & Gold. She pitched a complete game, giving up six hits and two earned runs. She struck out five and walked two.
Pitt State started the scoring early. With two outs and two runners on, Guthier hit her first home run of the season for a 3-0 lead. Perez followed with a walk, while Kris Van Hoosen and Cummins added back-to-back base hits to bring her home for the four-run go ahead.
The other three Gorilla runs all came in the top of the fourth. Bradshaw and Pratt drew back to back walks. With one out, Remy drove them home with a double to right. Nease reached on an error. With two outs, Perez knocked a base hit up the middle to bring home Remy for a 7-0 Pitt State lead.
Southwestern Oklahoma scored its runs in the sixth and seventh innings for the final 7-2 score.
Pitt State will take on Arkansas Tech at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 6) and
Henderson State at 3 p.m.
