PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team will open MIAA play this weekend with a pair of home doubleheaders Friday and Saturday (Mar. 9-10).
 
The Gorillas will host Emporia State University in a twinbill Friday (Mar. 9) starting at 3 p.m. and then Pitt State will entertain Washburn University Saturday with games starting at 2 p.m.
 
Pitt State is 8-14 on the season. The Gorillas split a four-game series against Maryville University last Saturday and Sunday. Pitt State rallied for a 7-6 win in its last contest against the Saints Sunday.
 
Pitt State is hitting .247 as a team and scoring 3.7 runs per game. Sophomore Kala Holder leads the team with a .317 batting average. Holder has scored a team-leading 13 runs, hit a team-best eight home runs and driven in 13 runs. Senior Lawren McKinney also is hitting .263 with seven home runs and a team-leading 19 RBIs.
 
Pitt State pitchers have a 4.37 ERA as a group. Senior Bree Cornett is 3-8 with a 4.84 ERA in 16 appearances (12 starts), while senior Brooklynne Simbeck is 4-6 with a 4.78 ERA in 15 appearances (10 starts).