PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will open a three-game MIAA series against the University of Central Friday (Apr. 1). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. (CST) at Al Ortolani Field.
 
The Gorillas and Bronchos will also play a 2 p.m. game Saturday (Apr. 2) and a Noon game Sunday (Apr. 3).
 
Pitt State will bring a 19-9 overall record and a 14-3 mark in MIAA play into the weekend series. The Gorillas are alone in second place in the MIAA standings, trailing only No. 4 ranked University of Central Missouri (23-3, 17-0 MIAA). Pitt State has won four straight games and 13 of its last 15 contests.
 
UCO is 17-12 overall and 10-7 in MIAA play. The Bronchos posted a 9-1 victory over Northeastern State University Tuesday (Mar. 29).
 
For the season, the Gorillas are batting .337 as a team and scoring 9.9 runs per game. Pitt State leads the MIAA in runs scored and ranks second in batting average.
 
Pitt State's pitching staff carries an 6.72 ERA (9^th in the MIAA), while registering 218 strikeouts in 235.7 innings of work. The Gorillas fielders sport a .972 fielding percentage, the second-best percentage in the MIAA to date.
 
The opposition is hitting .280 against the Gorillas thus far and scoring 7.5 runs per game. Opponent pitchers have a 9.66 ERA.
 
UCO is hitting .278 as a team to date, scoring 7.7 runs per game. The Bronchos rank eighth in the MIAA and seventh in runs scored. UCO pitchers carry a 5.50 ERA to date, fourth best in the conference.
 
Senior infielder Garrett McGowan is hitting .436 with 39 runs scored, 13 home runs and 51 RBI, all team highs. He leads the MIAA in home runs and RBI and ranks third in the conference in runs scored and batting average.
 
Senior lefthander Tanner Lane (3-1, 5.06 ERA), senior righthander Peyton Ingalls (3-1, 6.87 ERA) and sophomore righthander Brett Wiemers (1-0, 7.79 ERA) all started for the Gorillas in the FHSU series last week.
 
Following the weekend series, the Gorillas will travel to Rogers, Ark., Tuesday (Apr. 5) to face Arkansas Tech University in a 1 p.m. game at Rogers Heritage High School.