PITTSBURG -- The Pitt State softball team put up 25 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Washburn on Saturday (March 26) afternoon. The Gorillas won game one 13-0 in five innings and took game two, 12-3, in six innings.
Freshman Jenna Bolton was 6-for-6 with two home runs, a double, four runs scored and eight RBI in the doubleheader. Jordan Bradshaw and Catie Cummins each went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Bradshaw added three RBI, while Cummins added a triple and one RBI. Ashton Pratt was 4-for-8 with a double and two runs scored.
The Gorilla offense struck out only five times in the two games, while the Pitt State pitching staff fanned 12 batters. The three Pitt State pitchers gave up only nine hits through 11 innings. Washburn surrendered 24 hits. Emmie Robertson earned the win for the Gorillas in game one, pitching the complete game shutout at surrendering only one hit. She is now 15-4 on the season. Zoe Price earned the win in game two to improved her record to 2-1. Only two of the three runs she gave up were earned.
Pitt State's defense proved to be more solid as well with only two errors to the Ichabods' six.
The Gorillas scored four runs in each of the first two innings of game one. In the first inning, the runs came off three hits and two Ichabod errors. Sierra Hall, Kylie Guthier, Alex Perez and Bradshaw each collected an RBI. The second inning saw the Gorillas runs come from three hits and an error, including a three-run home run by Jenna Bolton.
Pitt State added five more runs in the bottom of the fourth four hits and an error. Bolton, Cummins and Bradshaw opened the inning with consecutive base hits, allowing Bolton to score. Pratt reached on an error one out before Katy Remy's three run home run for the final 13-0 score.
PSU's offense started a bit slower in game two as the team did not score until the third inning. Five hits led to four Gorilla runs, including a bases-clearing, three-run double by Alex Perez.
Washburn answered with three runs in the top of the fourth to make it a one-run game, but the Gorillas got those runs back, plus some in the bottom of the fifth. An error and five consecutive hits, including doubles from Perez and Bolton and Cummins' trip put Pitt State up 9-3.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs and Guthier and Perez on base, Bolton stepped up and hit her second three-run home run of the day. This time it was a walk-off, putting the Gorillas up by nine runs to end the game early.
Pitt State improves to 26-9 on the season and 10-0 in MIAA play. The Gorillas will travel to SBU on Tuesday for a midweek doubleheader with the Bearcats at 1 p.m. before returning to Pittsburg to face Lincoln and Lindenwood next weekend.
