PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will return to the friendly confines of Al Ortolani Field to host three days of action beginning Friday (Feb. 17).
 
The Gorillas will host the Metropolitan State University-Denver and the University of Sioux Falls with each team playing four games between Friday and Sunday.
 
Pitt State will face Sioux Falls at 3 p.m. (CST) Friday and Metro State at 3 p.m. Saturday, with USF and Metro State facing one another at Noon both days. The Gorillas will then battle USF at Noon and Metro State at 3 p.m. Sunday to wrap-up the six-game schedule.
 
Pitt State will bring a 5-2 record into the weekend action. The Gorillas took three of four games against Regis University last weekend at Al Ortolani Field. Metro State is 6-1 on the young season after taking three of four games last week against Biola University at La Mirada, Calif. USF will make its 2023 season debut Friday.
 
The Gorillas are batting .282 on the young season and scoring 7.3 runs per game. Pitt State's pitching staff currently sports a 5.95 ERA and the squad has a .938 fielding percentage to date. The Gorillas opponents are hitting .231 and scoring 6.9 runs per game. The opposition has a 7.93 ERA and a .986 fielding percentage to date.
 
Junior catcher Nixon Brannan was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week Monday (Feb. 13) after batting .412 (7-17) with a double, three home runs and 12 RBI last weekend.
 
Sophomore outfielder Joe Hamilton currently leads the squad with a .500 batting average. He's scored seven runs, smacked three doubles, driven in five runs and recorded five stolen bases.
 
Junior infielder Cade Clemons is hitting .400 (6-15) with two doubles and three RBI, while junior infielder Daegan Brady is batting .368 (7-19) with two doubles and a pair of RBI to date.
 
Graduate LHP Zac Shoemaker (1-0, 1.25 ERA), sophomore RHP Cason Long (0-1, 5.40 ERA), junior LHP Ben Des Rosiers (1-0, 2.89 ERA) and sophomore RHP Parker Weddell (0-0, 5.40 ERA) are expected to make starts on the mound this weekend.
 
Sophomore RHP Tanner Leslie is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and one save in 7.0 innings of relief work to date. Sophomore RHP Andrew Wisner is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and two saves in two relief appearances.