PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will host Newman University in a three-game MIAA series beginning Saturday (Apr. 17). The two teams will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. (CDT) Saturday at Al Ortolani Field and then wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday (Apr. 17). The series was pushed back a day due to the threat of rain Friday (Apr. 16).

The Gorillas come into the series 17-10 overall and 12-9 in MIAA play. Pitt State currently sits in fourth place in the conference standings. The Gorillas picked up a 12-1 non-conference victory over Emporia State University Tuesday (Apr. 13). The win halted a three-game losing streak after Pitt State was swept in a weekend series by the University of Central Missouri last week.

Newman is 5-15 overall and 4-14 in the MIAA. The Jets were swept in a three-game MIAA series against Missouri Southern State University last weekend at Joplin, Mo.

Pitt State is hitting .291 and scoring 7.7 runs per game to date. The Gorillas pitching staff carries a 5.41 ERA.

Freshman outfielder Ryan Koval leads the Pitt State offense with a .355 batting average. He has nine doubles, four triples, three home runs and 28 RBIs to his credit. Junior first baseman Garrett McGowan is hitting .290 with a team-leading 31 runs scored and a team-high 28 RBIs. He has belted seven doubles and a team-leading eight home runs.

Junior righthander David Henderson leads the Pitt State pitching staff. Henderson has posted a 5-2 record with a team-low 2.76 ERA. He has allowed just eight walks and registered 36 strikeouts in 42.3 innings of work for the Gorillas.