PITTSBURG – The Pitt State softball team improved to 25-9 on the season with a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Missouri Southern on Sunday (March 26) afternoon at the PSU Softball Complex. The Gorillas came from behind in both games to win 6-2 and 9-5.

Missouri Southern scored their only runs in the top of the fifth in game one. Myranda Stewart drew a leadoff walk and scored from third on two consecutive infield base hits with two outs in the inning. Emmie Robertson came in to replace starter Brittany Beaudet in the circle. She gave up a walk to load the bases, then hit Angel Badalamenti to bring in the second run for a 2-0 Lion lead.

Pitt State answered immediately with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jenna Bolton led off the inning with a home run. Kaity Kukowski followed with a walk, prompting a pitching change by the Lions. With one out, Nease hit a double to left center. Kala Holder drove a base hit to left to bring home Kukowski and a Lion error allowed Nease to score and Holder to advance all the way to third. Holder scored on a Myka Hayward base hit. Lawren McKinney walked. Kris Van Hoosen used an RBI double to score Hayward for the final run of the inning and a 5-2 Pitt State lead.

The final Gorilla run came in the sixth inning. Kylie DeClue pinch hit for Shelby Miller to lead off the inning and drove a base hit through the left side. Miller re-entered the game to run. She advanced on a Nease sacrifice. With two outs, McKinney hit a base hit deep in the infield to score Miller.

Beaudet was flawless in the first three innings and did not give up her first hit until there were two outs in the fourth. She gave up only four hits. Robertson earned the win in relief. She gave up only one hit.

The Lions scored immediately in game two, scoring two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the first.

The Gorillas got one run back in the bottom of the inning. Nease was hit by a pitch with two outs. Holder added a base hit up the middle. Hayward dropped a base hit into center to bring home Nease, making the score 2-1.

Pitt State tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, DeClue dropped a base hit into left. Bolton added a double. DeClue scored on a Kukowski base hit through the left side for the 2-2 tie.

Missouri Southern used three hits and an error to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 5-2.

The Gorillas got one run back on a Nease lead off home run down the left field line in the bottom of the fifth.

Pitt State doubled its hit total in the sixth as they used six hits, including back-to-back home runs by Nease and Holder to plate six runs for the final 9-5 score.

Beaudet came in to replace starter Bree Cornett with one out in the fifth to earn the win. Beaudet is now 2-1 on the season.

The Gorillas will return to conference play on Tuesday at 3 and 5 p.m. against Southwest Baptist at the PSU Softball Complex.