PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team claimed a series victory over the University of Minnesota Duluth by sweeping a doubleheader from the Bulldogs Sunday (Feb. 19) at Al Ortolani Field. The Gorillas powered past UMD, 16-9, in game one and held on for a 10-8 victory in the nightcap.
The twin wins helped Pitt State (6-5) take three of four games from UMD (1-3).
In game one, the Gorillas rallied from a 9-7 deficit with a nine-run eighth inning. Jack Mercer, who entered the game as a defensive replacement for injured starting catcher Ethan Schlesener in the 7th inning, belted a two-run home run to give the Gorillas an 11-9 lead. Pitt State rapped out nine hits in the frame – Tyson Cushman and Logan Terrell had RBI hits and Colton Pogue added a two-run homer.
Austin Brownell (1-0) worked two scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory on the mound. Pogue led Pitt State's 16-hit offensive attack, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored and four RBIs. Schlesener went 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs.
In game two, starter Trent Latta held UMD in check for three innings, before running into trouble in the fourth. The Gorillas built a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second and third innings, before the Bulldogs plated six runs in the fourth.
Pitt State countered with six runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-6 lead. Pogue delivered a two-run triple and Andrew Vogelbaugh added a two-run home run to help the Gorillas rally for the lead.
Cooper Gardner (2-0) worked 3.3 innings of relief work to earn the victory. He surrendered two runs in the sixth inning as UMD narrowed the Pitt State lead to 10-8, but Gardner registered six strikeouts including a pair of Ks in the seventh to lock down the victory.
