ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The Pittsburg State University football team scored the first 13 and the final 23 points of the game en route to a lopsided 50-19 road win over Lindenwood University Saturday (Sept. 24).
Sophomore quarterback John Roderique completed 18 of 29 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns in his return from a hand injury that sidelined him since the final play of the first quarter in Pitt State's season opening loss to Central Missouri. He also carried the ball 10 times for a game-high 56 yards while accounting for 335 yards of total offense.
The Pitt State defense registered three interceptions, including a pick six by junior lineback Ethan Fugitt in his first career start for the Gorillas. PSU also scored a special teams safety when LWU's long snapper shot the ball out of the back on the end zone on a third quarter punt attempt.
Junior Austin Panko sparked the Gorillas with a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter and he added an 81-yard scoring reception from Roderique in the second quarter. He finished the game with five catches for a career-high 134 yards receiving.
Senior Levi Copelin also posted his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game with eight grabs for 126 yards. He hauled in a 48-yard scoring grab from Roderique which staked the Gorillas to a 27-13 lead with 8:29 to play in the second quarter.
Dre Holman, Ramsey Hamilton and Keynan Scheurich added scoring runs for Pitt State (3-1, 3-1 MIAA). Fugitt, Tyree Jefferson and Darrius White all made drive halting interceptions. Braxton Early also forced a LWU fumble that Fugitt recovered; and the Pitt State defense made a first quarter goal line stand by halting the Lions (1-3, 1-3 MIAA) on four plays from the PSU 4. Heath Wilson stuffed quarterback Mason Bendigo for a one-yard loss on a 4th-and-goal play from the PSU 1.
Bendigo completed just nine of 24 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. LWU reserve quarterback Allen Thigpen was three of four passing for 14 yards with an interception.
Fugitt made a team-leading eight tackles for Pitt State, which limited the Lions to 57 net rushing yards in the contest.
Connor Harris made a game-high 17 stops for Lindenwood, coming up one tackle short of breaking the NCAA all division career tackles record.
