PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team will battle Missouri Southern State University in a pair of weekend doubleheaders. The Gorillas and Lions will open MIAA play with a conference twinbill Friday (Mar. 8) at 2 p.m. at Joplin, Mo. On Saturday (Mar. 9), the two squads will face off in a non-conference doubleheader at the PSU Softball Complex at Noon.

Pitt State is 7-8 on the season. The Gorillas dropped a pair of non-conference games against Fort Hays State University in their most recent action last Friday (Mar. 1) in Pittsburg. MSSU is 4-5 on the season. 
 
Pitt State is hitting .272 as a team and scoring 5.1 runs per game. Junior Kaity Kukowski leads the team with a .353 batting average. Kukowski has scored 10 runs, hit a team-best four home runs and driven in 11 runs. Senior Alicia Lowrey also is hitting .350 with seven doubles and a team-leading 12 RBIs.
 
Pitt State pitchers have a 3.59 ERA as a group. Junior Halle Brin is 4-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 11 appearances (6 starts), while freshman Shelby Smith is 3-3 with a 4.29 ERA in 10 appearances (8 starts).