PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team broke open a 4-4 game with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning and pulled away for a 9-4 victory over Missouri Western State University in the MIAA series opener Friday (Mar. 4) at Al Ortolani Field.

Cruz Aranda, Garrett McGowan, Ryan Koval and Kaden Fowler all swatted home runs for the Gorillas, who improved to 8-7 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play. Aranda finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Cade Clemons also went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Fowler drove in a pair of runs with his eighth inning homer.

Tanner Lane (2-1) overcame a three-run first inning to settle down and go 6.0 innings on the mound against the Griffons (3-10, 1-3 MIAA). He allowed four runs, five hits and two walks while registering four strikeouts. Zach Nagel, Bennett Scherer and Jordan Mendenhall all worked scoreless innings of relief behind Lane.

The two squads will wrap up their three-game series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday (Mar. 5). The original schedule called for single games Saturday and Sunday but the series was altered due to the extended weather forecast.