PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team will host the MIAA/NSIC Conference Challenge beginning Friday (Mar. 15) at the PSU Softball Complex.
 
The three-day classic format tournament will feature 12 games over three days. The Gorillas will face Winona State in a pair of games Friday beginning at 2 p.m. (CDT). On Saturday (Mar. 16), Pitt State will battle Augustana (S.D.) in back-to-back games beginning at 10 a.m. The Gorillas will wrap the weekend action with a doubleheader against Concordia-St. Paul at 1:30 p.m. Sunday (Mar. 17).
 
For a complete schedule of the weekend action, click here.
 
Pitt State enters the weekend action with a 24-2 overall record. The Gorillas are ranked No. 13 in the most recent NFCA/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. Pitt State sports is best record in program history through 26 games played; and the Gorillas are riding a 14-game winning streak.
 
Leading the charge on offense is sophomore utility player Heather Arnett (Pittsburg, Kan.) with Division II best marks for runs scored (40), hits (55), stolen bases (26) and triples (7). She has a .567 batting average with 15 RBI to date. Graduate infielder Hannah Burnett (Independence, Kan.) is hitting .420 with 32 runs scored, 34 hits, three home runs and 24 RBI to go with 19 stolen bases. Junior outfielder Cortney Storey (Rogers, Ark.) at .408, Sophomore outfielder Alleyna Rushing (Bentonville, Ark.) is hitting .395; and senior infielder Maddie Fernandez (San Antonio, Texas) is batting .393.. Fernandez and senior utility player Paxtyn Hayes (Greenwood, Ark.) are tied for the team lead with six home runs and 27 RBI.
 
In the circle, the reigning Division II Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week freshman Ava Laurent (Grand Island, Neb.) is 9-0 with a 1.25 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. She has recorded 107 strikeouts in 73.0 innings pitched – the second-highest strikeout total in Division II this season. Laurent also has posted four shutouts and opponents are hitting just .183 against her.
 
Redshirt senior Kiana Pogroszewski (Ephraim, Utah) is 7-1 with a 3.04 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 55.1 innings of work. Senior Hannah Martin (Moore, Okla.) is 5-0 with a 2.72 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched. Junior Chelsea Beville (Seneca, Mo.) is 2-0 with a 1.87 ERA, 28 striekouts and a .170 opponent BA in 15.0 innings pitched.
 
Winona State is 16-4 on the season. Abbie Hlas is hitting .464 with 25 runs, 10 doubles and nine walks drawn. Kiley Slaats is hitting .415 with 21 runs, four triples, 12 RBI and team best four stolen bases. Sam Keller (.408), Teaghen Amwoza (.390), Carly Engelhardt (.346), Savannah Serdynski (.333) and Alyssa Woelfel (.333) round out the qualified hitters batting above .300. Jayda Berg (4-0, 2.86 ERA), Izzy Howe (6-2, 3.45 ERA) and Abby Smith (6-2, 3.80 ERA) are the starters for the Warriors with Smith pitching a team-high 47.1 innings and Howe striking out 44 in 44.1 innings.
 
Augustana (S.D.) brings a 12-7 record into the weekend action. The Gorillas and Vikings met earlier this season at the Washburn Invitational. 2022 Summit League Pitcher of the Year Grace Glanzer pitched Augie to a 6-0 victory. Glanzer is 5-2 thus far with a 0.33 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 58 strikeouts in 55.0 innings of work. Hailey Houston (2-1, 2.88 ERA), Lexi Lander (3-2, 4.76 ERA), Helene Krage (0-1, 3.86 ERA) and Ella Cooper (1-1, 5.17 ERA) have also drawn starts this season for the Vikings. On offense, Liz Dierks leads the team with a .385 average and 14 runs scored. Ashton Dorman (.364), Desi Cuevas (.356) and Nicole Bellis (.304) round out the qualified hitters batting above .300.
 
Concordia-St. Paul is off to a 15-4 start to the year. The Golden Bears are led on offense by Alexis Monty with a .536 average, 23 runs scored, 37 hits, 20 RBI and eight stolen base. Annalise Scamehorn is hitting .415 with eight doubles and 17 RBI. Clara Heislen (.397), Riley Rosenthal (.373), Rachel Novak (.368), Danni Sharum (.360) and Alexus Houston (.333) round out the qualified batters above .300. Emmy Bowne is 6-3 in the circle with a 3.36 ERA and two saves in 66.2 innings of work pitched. Erica McCullough rounds out the rotation with a 9-1 record, 3.36 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 56.1 innings pitched.
 
Following the MIAA/NSIC Conference Challenge, the Gorillas will hit the road to Oklahoma for a pair of MIAA doubleheaders against Northeastern State (Mar. 22) and Rogers State (Mar. 23).