PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will travel to Rolla, Mo., Tuesday (Apr. 18) to battle Missouri University of Science & Technology in a non-conference game. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. (CDT) at the Ballpark at S&T.

Pitt State will bring a 28-13 overall record into Tuesday's action. The Gorillas posted a 2-2 record last week, including taking one of three games in an MIAA series against the University of Central Missouri last weekend in Pittsburg.

Missouri S&T is 18-15 overall. The Miners, who are riding a seven-game winning streak, have been idle for 10 days. MST last played on Apr. 8 when the Miners completed a four-game sweep of Southwest Baptist University with a 12-3 win.

The Gorillas and Miners previously met on Mar. 29 in Pittsburg with MST posting a 13-7 victory in that contest.

The Gorillas enter the midweek game batting .315 on the season and scoring 9.0 runs per game. Pitt State's pitching staff currently sports a 6.24 ERA and the squad has a .972 fielding percentage to date. The Gorillas opponents are hitting .267 and scoring 6.8 runs per game. The opposition has an 8.31 ERA and a .966 fielding percentage to date.

Junior catcher Nixon Brannon leads the squad with a .444 batting average. He has 19 doubles, 14 home runs and 62 RBI to his credit. Brannan leads the MIAA in batting average, doubles and RBI and ranks fourth in the league in home runs. He currently ranks fourth in D2 in RBI per game (1.63 pg) and 13th nationally in batting average.

Brannon enters Tuesday's action on a 20-game hitting streak, the second-longest streak in school history. With a hit against the Miners, he will tie Justin Annin's school record 4/2/00 – 5/7/00) of 21 consecutive games with a base hit.

Junior infielder Cade Clemons is hitting .338 with 42 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 41 RBI. The Lee's Summit, Mo., native is tied for second place in the MIAA in home runs. He has reached base safely in each of the last 35 games.

Junior outfielder Karson Coffee also is batting .352 with 18 doubles, seven home runs and 36 RBI. Junior infielder Daegan Brady (.284 BA) also has a 10-game active hitting streak.

Following the MST game, Pitt State will open a three-game MIAA series at home against Newman University Friday (Apr. 21).