PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team will travel down the road to Joplin, Mo., to take on Missouri Southern in MIAA action Saturday (Mar. 27). First pitch is set for Noon (CDT) in game one of the scheduled doubleheader.
 
The Gorillas head to Missouri after dropping a pair of non-conference games to Southeastern Oklahoma Tuesday (Mar. 23) at the PSU Softball Complex. The Gorillas fell to the Savage Storm, 10-7 and 6-1. The losses dropped Pitt State to 8-14 on the season. The Gorillas are 4-2 in MIAA play.
 
At the plate, the Gorillas are batting .262 as a team on the season. Kaity Kukowski leads the squad with a .322 average at the plate. Kukowski has launched three home runs as well as two doubles and she's amassed 11 RBIs. Right fielder Paxtyn Hayes and catcher Audrey Miller share the lead in home runs with four a piece.  
 
Reigning MIAA pitcher of the week Kaylee Burns leads the team in the circle with a 3.92 ERA in 59 innings pitched. Burns has put up a 4-5 record on the season including three complete games. Burns is followed by junior Taylor Compton who has put up a 5.19 ERA in 29.7 innings of work. Compton has notched a 2-2 record on the season.
 
The Lady Lions are 8-10 on the season and 1-3 in the MIAA. MSSU was swept in in a non-conference twinbill – 8-0 and 11-3 – in its last action.