PITTSBURG -- Alex Achtermann helped his own cause on the pitching mound by smacking a go-ahead opposite field solo home run in the sixth inning to help lift the Pittsburg State University baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Northeastern State University Saturday (Apr. 6).
Achtermann's third home run of the season started a three-run sixth inning as Greyson Pinkett followed three batters later with a two-run homer to up the Pitt State (16-16, 10-10 MIAA) margin to 5-2.
Achtermann (3-5) allowed just four hits in 6.0 innings of work, fanning seven batters. NSU trimmed its 5-2 deficit with a pair of runs in the seventh inning against Gorillas reliever Conner Lungwitz. Lungwitz returned to retire the RiverHawks (10-24, 7-13 MIAA) in order in the eighth, and Tanner Lane nailed down his third save of the season with a one-two-three ninth inning.
Achtermann led Pitt State's six-hit offensive attack, going 2-for-4 in the contest. Clint Allen belted a two-run home run to stake Pitt State to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
The Gorillas and RiverHawks will close out the three-game series with a Noon (CDT) contest Sunday (Apr. 7).