EDMOND, Okla. -- Newcomer Maddox Thornton tossed five shutout innings and the Pittsburg State University offense broke open a close game for a 7-1 victory over Oklahoma Baptist University in the season opener Friday (Jan. 31) at the Edmond First Pitch Classic.

Thornton, a graduate transfer from the University of Texas-Corpus Christi, limited the Bison to three hits in his Pitt State debut. He issued one walk and registered three strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. Relievers Cadyn Castellanos and Cooper Crouch helped shut the door on OBU by allowing just one run on three hits over the final 4.0 innings of the game. The relief duo combined to fan seven batters.

Pitt State scored first thanks to an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning and the Gorillas tacked on three more runs on a bases loaded walk by Dagen Brewer and Jake Skaggs' sacrifice fly in the third frame.

The Gorillas took a 3-1 advantage to the bottom of the seventh inning before tacking on two insurance runs thanks to Rickey Sanchez' run-scoring hit and Brewer's RBI double. Alex Rodgers also scored on an OBU error in the frame. Emporia State transfer Kadyn Williams closed out Pitt State's scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Gorillas will return to action Saturday at Edmond with a 12:30 p.m. game against East Central University.