EDMOND, Okla. -- The Pitt State softball team split a pair of games at Central Oklahoma on Saturday (April 23) to finish the regular season 36-17 overall and 19-7 in MIAA play. The Gorillas finished the regular season in a three-way tie for second but took the fourth seed in the tournament due to tie breakers. Pitt State won the first game over the Bronchos 11-5, but fell in game two, 6-5.
The Gorillas scored 11 runs on 12 hits and three Central Oklahoma errors. The Bronchos scored their five runs on six hits and one Pitt State error.
Emmie Robertson earned the win in the circle. She struck out nine batters and only four of the runs she gave up were earned.
Pitt State scored first with a lead off home run from Nicole Nease in the top of the second. The lead would not last long, however, as the Bronchos answered with a home run of their own in the bottom of the inning.
The Gorillas tacked on two more runs in the top of the third. Base hits by Tiara Ewy and Ashton Pratt had back-to-back base hits. Sierra Hall moved them both into scoring position. Katy Remy added a base hit to right center to score both runners for a 3-1 lead.
Four hits, two walks and Pitt State error led to four runs for the Bronchos and a 5-3 UCO lead.
Pitt State wasted no time coming back as a grand slam from Nicole Nease added four more runs for a 7-5 lead.
The Gorillas also scored two more runs in each the sixth and seventh innings to secure the 11-5 win.
Pitt State tallied more runs than Central Oklahoma in game two, 8-7, but three errors also hurt the team in the 6-5 loss.
Robertson also pitched the complete game two, ending the regular season with a 20-9 record. All six runs were earned. She struck out five batters and walked three.
The Gorillas scored first again in the second game. After consecutive base hits by Kylie Guthier and Myka Hayward, Jenna Bolton hit her seventh home run of the season for an early 3-0 run in the top of the second.
The Bronchos took a 4-3 lead after the third and tacked on two more runs in the fourth.
The fifth inning saw Pitt State score two more runs with a Nease two-run home run to cut the UCO lead to one run. Things were looking up for the Gorillas, but the last six batters went down in order to end the game.
The Gorillas will take on Northeastern State at 5 p.m. at the ASA Hall of Fame Field Two on Thursday, April 28. They will take on either Missouri Western or Southwest Baptist at 7:30 p.m.
