PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University softball team will hit the road for Bentonville, Ark., to take part in the Alvy Early Classic Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 10-11).
 
The Gorillas are set to play four games against Great American Conference (GAC) foes with Pitt State battling Southeastern Oklahoma and Henderson State Saturday and then facing Southern Arkansas and Harding Sunday. Game times will be 11 a.m. (CST) and 1:30 p.m. both days.
 
The tournament originally was scheduled for Friday and Saturday (Feb. 9-10), but was pushed back a day due to a chilly forecast in the Bentonville area Friday.
 
Scouting the Gorillas

• The Gorillas opened 2023 play at Conroe, Texas in the DII Spring Invitational. Pitt State posted a 1-4 record against competition from the Lone Star Conference.
• While the Gorillas secured just one win they did so by knocking off preseason No. 18 ranked Angelo State, 3-2.
• Pitt State pitchers have combined for a 2.79 ERA through five games, while holding their opponents to a .246 batting average.  As a team, the Gorillas are batting .254 with five doubles, one triple and one home run thus far.
• Freshman infielder Heather Arnett leads the Pitt State hitters early in the season with a .412 batting average, collecting seven hits in 17 at-bats. Junior outfielder Kianna Pellegrino has a home run and five RBIs to her credit.

 
Scouting the Opponents

• Southeastern Oklahoma enters the weekend with a 3-2 record after playing five games in the Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, La. The Savage Storm won their first three games against Midwestern State (12-1), Drury (1-0) and Delta State (2-0).
• The Henderson State Reddies will enter the Alvy Early Classic with a 2-2 record after participating in the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament in Arkadelphia, Ark., last weekend. HSU's wins came against Missouri Southern (11-3) and Northeastern State (4-3).
• Southern Arkansas has an unblemished 5-0 record from its action in the Mardi Gras Invitational. The Muleruders beat the likes of Union (6-3), Delta State (15-5), Drury (2-1), Midwestern State (7-2) and No. 6 ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-2).
• Harding is 4-1 overall. The Bison also competed in Louisiana last week and came away with victories over Delta State (6-3), Midwestern State (5-2), Texas A&M-Kingsville (6-5) and Union (2-1).