PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will open a three-game MIAA series against Northwest Missouri State University Saturday (Mar. 12). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. (CST) at Al Ortolani Field.
 
The Gorillas and Bearcats will also play 1 p.m. games Sunday and Monday (Mar. 13-14). The series originally was scheduled to begin Friday (Mar. 10) at 3 p.m.
 
Pitt State will bring a 10-7 overall record and 5-1 mark in MIAA play into the weekend series. The Gorillas posted a 4-1 record last week, including sweeping a three-game MIAA series from Missouri Western State University.
 
NWMSU is 5-11 overall and 1-5 in MIAA play. The Bearcats snapped a seven-game losing streak by claiming a 6-3 victory over Missouri Southern State University in the final game of a three-game set on Mar. 5.
 
Through 17 games, the Gorillas are batting .328 as a team and scoring 9.4 runs per game. Pitt State leads the MIAA in runs scored and ranks second in batting average.
 
Pitt State's pitching staff carries an 6.96 ERA (7^th in the MIAA), while registering 131 strikeouts in 141.0 innings of work. The Gorillas fielders sport a .972 fielding percentage, the second-best percentage in the MIAA to date.
 
The opposition is hitting .281 against the Gorillas thus far and scoring 7.9 runs per game. Opponent pitchers have a 9.39 ERA.
 
NWMSU is hitting .226 as a team to date, scoring 4.8 runs per game. The Bearcats rank 10^th in the MIAA in hitting and runs scored. NWMSU pitchers carry a 5.54 ERA (9^th in the MIAA).
 
Senior infielder Garrett McGowan is hitting .385 with 20 runs scored, nine home runs and 27 RBIs, all team highs. He ranks third in the MIAA in home runs and RBIs.
 
Senior outfielder Jordan Maxson is hitting a team-best .436 with eight doubles, four home runs and 21 RBIs. He currently ranks fifth in the MIAA in batting average and tied for third in the league in doubles.
 
Senior lefthander Tanner Lane (2-1, 4.43 ERA), senior righthander Peyton Ingalls (2-1, 6.94 ERA) and senior righthander Zach Curry (1-2, 9.00 ERA) all started for the Gorillas in the MWSU series.
 
Following the weekend series, the Gorillas will travel to Emporia, Kan., to face Emporia State University at 5 p.m. Wednesday (Mar. 16). That game originally was scheduled to be played Tuesday.