PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will open the 2024 MIAA schedule Friday (Feb. 23) by traveling to Topeka to face Washburn University in a three-game series.

The Gorillas and Ichabods will meet at 3 p.m. (CST) Friday at Falley Field and then face off at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 24) and 1 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 25).

The Gorillas will bring a 9-3 record into Friday's action. Pitt State swept a three-game non-conference series against Southwest Baptist University last weekend. The Gorillas outscored the Bearcats 51-4 in the series. WU is 4-6 overall after taking two of three games in a home series against Truman State University last weekend.

As a team, Pitt State is hitting .346 and scoring 9.3 runs per game. The Gorillas have smacked 32 doubles and 17 home runs and stolen 30 bases to date. Pitt State pitchers have a 3.62 ERA registering 86 strikeouts in 97.0 innings pitched. Defensively, the Gorillas have a .969 fielding percentage with 13 errors in 416 total chances.
 
Junior infielder Austin Warkins and senior infielder Cade Clemons share the team lead with identical .400 batting averages. Warkins has scored 13 runs, hit two doubles, two home runs and driven in 10 runs. Clemons has compiled three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI to his credit.

Junior outfielder Karson Coffee is batting .364 with a team-leading 14 runs scored, six home runs and 22 RBI. He currently leads the MIAA in home runs and ranks second in the conference in RBI. Coffee hit .600 (9-for-15) with four home runs and 15 RBI in four games last week to earn MIAA Hitter of the Week honors as well as NCAA Division II National Hitter of the Week accolades from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) and D2 Baseball Insider.

Junior righthander Tanner Leslie (3-0, 1.69 ERA), graduate RHP Alex Kafka (1-0, 3.46 ERA) and junior RHP Brady Pacha (1-2, 7.15 ERA) are slated to start on the mound for the Gorillas in the series.

Junior righthander Andrew Wisner has a 0.00 ERA and one save in two relief appearances for the Gorillas. Junior RHP Gage Singer is 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of bullpen work, while junior RHP Boston Dowd (1-0, 0.00 ERA) has made a team-leading four appearances and allowed just one hit in 6.0 innings of work.