PITTSBURG -- Tanner Leslie limited Rogers State University to a pair of hits and the Pittsburg State University offense exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning en route to an 11-1 victory over the Hillcats Friday (May 3) at Al Ortolani Field.

The Gorillas grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best of three quarterfinal series of the 2024 MIAA Baseball Championship. The two teams will take the field at 2 p.m. (CDT) Saturday with RSU needing a win to stave off elimination.

Leslie (10-2) held RSU in check throughout the game to earn his 10th victory of the season. He tossed 92 pitches, issuing just one walk and registering three strikeouts. He allowed a leadoff single to Matthew Schure to open the fourth inning and Matthew Delgada followed with a run-scoring double. Those were the only hits the Hillcats could scratch in the game.

The Gorillas (33-16) tagged RSU starter Colton Anderson for five consecutive hits in the bottom of the fourth inning and Pitt State plated eight runs in the frame. Nixon Brannan had an RBI double in the inning, while Cade Clemons and Blake Mozley each added run scoring triples.

Austin Warkins had three hits in the contest and drove in three runs. He belted a solo home run in the fifth inning.