JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Pitt State softball team tallied 21 hits, while only allowing six in a doubleheader sweep of Lincoln on Saturday (March 15) afternoon. The Gorillas took the first game, 11-0, in five innings, allowing the Blue Tigers only one hit, then won the second, 10-3.
Seven Gorillas got hits in the first game. Tiara Ewy was 3-for-3 in the game, while Myka Hayward went 3-for-4. Kaity Kukowski and Shelby Miller each went 2-for-3. Miller led the team with three runs scored. Kala Holder was 1-for-3 and led the team with four RBI, as her one hit was a grand slam.
The Pitt State pitchers allowed only one hit. Emmie Robertson pitched the first three innings to earn the win. She gave up the only hit, walked one and struck out seven. Brittany Beaudet pitching the final two innings and allowed only one runner on.
The Gorillas scored one run in each the first and third innings, including a Nicole Nease solo home run in the third.
The team tacked on five more runs in the fourth, four of those runs coming from Holder's grand slam. The final four runs came in the fifth inning on three hits, four walks and an error.
Game two went a bit differently, with Lincoln tying the game once and scoring three runs on five hits and two errors. Pitt State scored 10 runs on eight hits and three errors.
Seven of the Gorillas' eight hits came from the nine, one, two and three hole batters. Jenna Bolton, Miller and Holder each had two hits. Kukowski had one and Hayward had one. Kukowski scored three of the team's 10 runs. Holder led with six RBI.
Three pitchers threw in the game. Bree Cornett started and gave up three runs on three hits. She walked one and struck out two. Morgan Myers threw the next 2.2 innings to earn the win. She gave up only two hits, struck out two batters and walked two. Robertson threw the final 2.0 innings. She did not give up a hit, walked one and struck out two.
Pitt State scored two runs right away in the top of the first. Kukowski scored on a Holder sacrifice fly and Nease scored on a Hayward base hit.
Lincoln used two hits and a walk to score two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2.
The Gorillas got those runs back and then some with a four-run second. Kris Van Hoosen scored on a Miller base hit to center. Holder picked up two more RBI with a base hit to left center and Hayward hit a sac fly to score Miller for a 6-2 lead.
A solo home run brought the Blue Tigers within three, 6-3, in the bottom of the third.
Pitt State score the remainder of its runs in the sixth on a three-run home run by Holder.
The Gorillas will play six home games next week, beginning with a non-conference doubleheader against Missouri S&T on Tuesday (April 17).
