PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University softball team is set to host the 2024 NCAA Division II Central Regional beginning Thursday (May 9) at the PSU Softball Complex.

Pitt State will serve as one of two host sites in the Central Region, which will take place Thursday through Saturday (May 9-11). The top-seeded Gorillas will face No. 8 seed Southern Arkansas University (34-17) in a first-round match-up Thursday at 2 p.m. No. 4 Augustana University (45-13) also will battle No. 5 Oklahoma Baptist University (40-12) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Single day tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students with I.D., senior citizens and children (ages 2-12). All-session tickets are $30.

Pitt State (51-6) will make its fifth appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament (1993-95, 2017), the Gorillas' first berth since 2017. This marks the first time in program history Pitt State has been selected as a host site for NCAA postseason play.

2024 NCAA Central Regional Bracket
Thursday, May 9
Game 1 – No. 1 PSU (51-6) vs. No. 8 SAU (34-17), 2 p.m.
Game 2 – No. 4 Augie (45-13) vs. No. 5 OBU (40-12), 4:30 p.m.

Friday, May 10
Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 4 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 – Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 11
Game 6 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 7 – (If Necessary)

No. 1 Seed, Pittsburg State (51-6)
As a team, the Gorillas are hitting .351 with 9.5 hits and 6.7 runs a game. Pitt State pitchers own a 2.21 ERA, striking out 7.2 batters per 7 Innings and holding opponents to a .247 average.

Offensively, sophomore outfielder Heather Arnett (Pittsburg, Kan.) leads the team with a .455 average, 70 runs scored, 96 hits and 51 stolen bases. Among NCAA Division II ranks she is 2nd in hits, 3rd in stolen bases, 4th in runs scored and 17th in batting average.

Graduate transfer Hannah Burnett (Independence, Kan.) is hitting .429 with 66 runs scored, 76 hits, five home runs, 45 RBI, 28 walks drawn and 30 stolen bases. Among NCAA Division II ranks she is 7th in runs scored, 27th in hits, 31st in on base percentage (.519), 33rd in stolen bases and 49th in batting average.

Senior infielder Maddie Fernandez (San Antonio, Texas) is hitting .359 with 52 hits, eight doubles, 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 28 walks drawn.Senior utility player Paxtyn Hayes (Greenwood, Ark.) is hitting .352 with 63 hits, 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 64 RBI. Among NCAA Division II ranks, Hayes is 15th in RBI.

Sophomore outfielder Alleyna Rushing (Bentonville, Ark.) is hitting .341, junior outfielder Courtney Storey (Rogers, Ark.) at .336, redshirt junior infielder Kadyn Trochim (Waco, Texas) at .324 and senior infielder Gabby Schultz (Gardner, Kan.) at .309 rounds out the qualified batters hitting above .300.

In the circle, Ava Laurent (Grand Island, Neb.) is 19-1 with a 1.86 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 162.0 innings, striking out 197 batters (8.5 per 7 Innings) as opponents hit .198 against her. Among NCAA Division II ranks she is 26th in strikeouts, 28th in wins and 29th in strikeouts per 7 Inning.

Redshirt senior Kiana Pogroszewski (Ephraim, Utah) is 18-2 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in 132.0 innings, striking out 93 batters with opponents hitting .300 against her. Junior, Chelsea Beville (Seneca, Mo.) is 7-2 with five saves for a 1.69 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in 41.1 innings, striking out 53 batters (9.0 per 7 Innings) as opponents hit .216 against her. Senior, Hannah Martin (Moore, Okla.) is 6-0 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 30.1 innings, striking out 31 batters while opponents are hitting .295 against her.

No. 4 Seed, Augustana (45-13)
The Vikings as a team are hitting .352 with 9.9 hits and 6.5 runs a game while owning a 1.76 ERA as a staff in the circle, striking out 5.8 batters per 7 Innings and holding opponents to a .198 average. They qualified for the tournament thanks to winning the NSIC Tournament and receiving the automatic bid, the Vikings also claimed the regular season NSIC crown.

Offensively, Desi Cuevas is hitting .436 with 54 runs scored, 85 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 39 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Gracey Brink is hitting .391 with 53 runs scored, 66 hits, 16 doubles, 13 home runs, 38 RBI and nine stolen bases. Ashton Dorman is hitting .383 with 70 hits, 18 doubles, seven home runs and 37 RBI. Torri Chute a .372 hitter has 43 runs scored, 68 hits, 17 doubles, 17 home runs and 61 RBI. Andrea Cain is hitting .368 with 58 runs scored, 74 hits, 17 doubles, 12 home runs and 56 RBI. Kennedy Buckmann (.330), Liz Dierks (.329) and Stella Harber (.323) round out the qualified hitters batting above .300 this season.
In the circle, Grace Glanzer is 23-3 with a 0.58 ERA and a 0.61 WHIP in 180.0 innings, striking out 176 batters and opponents hitting .134 against her. Lexi Lander is 13-5 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 83.2 innings, striking out 56 as opponents are hitting .243 against her.

No. 5 Seed, Oklahoma Baptist (40-12)
As a team the Bisons are hitting .287 with 7.4 hits and 5.3 runs a game while owning a 1.92 ERA as a staff in the circle, striking out 7.6 batters per 7 Innings and holding opponents to a .206 average. They quailed for the tournament from an at-large bid after claiming the GAC regular season crown and made it to the GAC Tournament semifinals.

Offensively, Morgan Max is hitting .386 with 28 runs scored, 54 hits, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBI. Adi Reese is hitting .368 with 35 runs scored, 50 hits, 14 doubles, four home runs and 29 RBI. Emily Adler hits .318 with 38 runs scored, 48 hits, seven doubles, 21 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Ally Ryan is hitting .315 with 32 runs scored, 45 hits, five doubles and a team-leading 17 home runs for 48 RBI. Sammie Greene rounds out the qualified batters hitting above .300 at .311 with 40 runs scored, 50 hits, 11 doubles, four home runs, 22 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

In the circle, Kayleigh Jones is 21-4 with a 1.77 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 178.0 innings, striking out 244 batters (9.6 strikeouts per 7 Innings) as opponents hit .173 against her. Maggie Place is 16-7 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 122.1 innings, striking out 84 batters with opponents hitting .230 against her.

No. 8 Seed, Southern Arkansas (34-17)
The Muleriders as a team are hitting .283 with 7.6 hits and 4.8 runs a game while owning a 2.13 ERA as a staff in the circle, striking out 7.9 batters per 7 Innings and holding opponents to a .220 average. They qualified for the tournament from an at-large bid after making a run to the GAC Tournament championship game.

Offensively, Regan Dillon leads the team with a .358 average, 58 hits, 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 47 RBI. Ariana Rolle is hitting .342 with a team-leading 36 runs scored to go with 54 hits and five stolen bases. Kamryn Moctezuma at .320 has contributed 31 runs scored, 54 hits, eight doubles, four home runs and 29 RBI. Haley Nillen rounds out the qualified batters hitting above .300, at .313 with 47 hits, nine doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI.

In the circle, Sydney Ward is 17-9 with a 1.72 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 162.2 innings, striking out 140 batters (6.0 strikeouts per 7 Innings) as opponents are hitting .224 against her. Brinson Rogers is 14-8 with a 1.91 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 135.2 innings, striking out 207 batters (10.7 per 7 Innings) with opponents hitting .192 against her