BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- The Pittsburg State softball team (7-5) earned a 6-3 win over Concordia before falling, 4-0, to Rockhurst in the first day of the Eight State Classic, hosted by Arkansas-Monticello at Memorial Park in Bentonville.
Pitt State scored its six runs on eight hits. Five different earned those hits, including two each from Sierra Hall, Kylie Guthier and Kala Holder. Concordia scored its three runs all in the first inning on four hits and had only one more hit in the game after that.
The Gorillas scored first in the top of the first. Kaity Kukowski drew a leadoff walk. Hall knocked a base hit down the left line. With two outs, Guthier drove a base hit to center to score Kukowski.
Concordia answered with their three runs on four hits, including two doubles in the bottom half of the inning.
Pitt State came back in the top of the third. Kukowski was hit by a pitch to lead off. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicole Nease drew a two-out walk. Guthier hit a line drive back at the Bear pitcher to load the bases. Kala Holder hit the first home run of her Gorilla career, a grand slam, to give her team the 5-3 lift.
Pitt State added an insurance run in the top of the fourth as Jenna Bolton led off with a double, then scored on a Hall base hit.
Bree Cornett earned the win in the circle to improve to 3-0 on the season. She struck out five and walked two. Brittany Beaudet pitched the final inning in relief to earn the first save of her career. She faced three batters and struck out one.
In the game against Rockhurst, the Hawks scored all of their runs in the bottom of the first. They plated four runs on three hits, including a double and a home run, and a sacrifice fly. They would get only three more hits in the remaining six innings.
Pitt State tallied only three hits, one each from Hall, Holder and Kris Van Hoosen.
Beaudet started the game and took the loss. Robertson came in for her with one out in the first. She pitched 4.2 innings, gave up three hits and struck out one. Morgan Myers threw the final inning, striking out one batter.
The Gorillas return to action on Saturday (Feb. 18) with an 11 a.m. game against Southern Nazarene and a 3 p.m. game against Minnesota-Duluth.
