PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team jumped out to a 21-7 second quarter lead and held off Emporia State University down the the stretch for a 30-28 victory in front of 10,611 partisan Family Day fans at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.

Mak Sexton passed for 309 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. His 16-yard connection to Jalen Martin broke a 21-21 tie with 4:06 to play in the third quarter, staking the Gorillas (3-1, 3-1 MIAA) to a 27-21 lead. Back-up kicker Cross Holmes booted a 39-yard field goal with 11:06 to play to stretch Pitt State's margin to 30-21.

Emporia State (2-2, 2-2 MIAA) closed the gap to 30-28 when Braden Gleason scored on a six-yard scramble with 18 seconds remaining in the game, but Pitt State's Devon Garrison recovered the ensuing onside kickoff attempt to seal the win.

Martin finished the game with six catches for a game high 130 yards, while Elijah Harris had four grabs for 128 yards, including a 32-yard scoring catch. Tyler Adkins carried the ball 17 times for 73 yard and a touchdown, while Caleb Lewis had 31 ground yards including a 10-yard score.

Gleason completed 36 of 53 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns. He added 39 yards on the ground and a pair of scores.

Defensively, Pitt States's Luke Jennings posted a career high 17 tackles, while P.J. Sarwinski added a career best 13 stops. The Gorillas did not record a turnover in the contest, but Pitt State twice held the Hornets on downs in Gorillas territory.

Pitt State will travel to Joplin, Mo., next Saturday (Oct. 2) to face MIAA rival Missouri Southern State University.