PITTSBURG -- The Pitt State softball team (22-8, 3-1 MIAA) will play a home and home series with Missouri Southern (12-21, 1-5 MIAA) on Friday (March 24) in Joplin at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Saturday, also at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Pittsburg.

Saturday will be Melanoma Awareness Day at the Pittsburg State Softball Complex. Prior to the game, from noon to 3 p.m., Dr. Youtsos and the staff from ReNu Medical and Spa will be doing free skin checks in the baseball/softball house. Pitt State Athletics will give away free sunscreen and hats while supplies last. Pitt State T-shirts will be on sale for $15 with all proceeds going to Melanoma Awareness. 

Missouri Southern most recently lost two games to Central Missouri on Wednesday in Joplin. The team went 3-3 last weekend at the Hy-Vee Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. 

The Lions are led by Abi Corbett with a .447 average. She leads the team with 31 runs scored and 55 hits. Five more players are hitting .300 or better, as the team has a .317 batting average. Angel Badalamenti and Erika Lutgen lead the team with 24 RBI a piece. Myranda Stewart and Shelby Friend are just behind them with 23 RBI. Badalamenti and Stewart each have hit seven doubles on the season. Lutgen is the team's home run leader with four. 

The Lion pitching staff has a collective 6.41 ERA. Taurean Guzman has seen the most innings, throwing 90.2 innings in 25 appearances. She has a 5.96 ERA and a 4-8 record with two saves. Mikaela Cox has a 3-4 record with one save in 21 appearanes. She has a 6.12 ERA and has thrown 67.2 innings. Hydney Koch has thrown 56.0 innings in 18 appearances to earn a 4-8 record and a 6.91 ERA.

Five Pitt State players are hitting over .300, as the team hits .294 collectively. Kristen Van Hoosen has come into her own at the plate, leading the team with a .379 average. She recently capped a career-high eight-game hit streak in the win over now No. 23 Minnesota State-Mankato. She and Kaity Kukowski share the lead in runs scored with 18. Kala Holder leads the Gorillas in hits with 31 and hits .337. Lawren McKinney leads with eight doubles. Kylie Guthier is the home runs leader with five. Nicole Nease leads the team in RBI wit 21. Kukowski has earned the most free bases for the Gorillas as she has walked 12 times and been hit by 19 pitches. 

The Gorillas pitchers have a 2.19 ERA and are led by the reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Week Emmie Robertson. Robertson has a 0.89 ERA and a 15-3 record with two saves in 117.2 innings pitched. She has struck out 143 batters while only walking 27. Bree Cornett has thrown 45.2 innings. She has made 15 appearances and has a 5-3 record and a 3.22 ERA. Brittany Beaudet and Morgan Myers each have 1-1 records.