Pitt State to Make Home Debut With Weekend Series vs. Truman

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will make its home debut when the Gorillas entertain Truman State University in a four-game series beginning Friday (Feb. 7).

Pitt State will take on the Bulldogs at 2 p.m. (CST) Friday in the series opener at Al Ortolani Field. The two squads will play a pair of seven-inning games beginning at Noon Saturday and close out the series with a Noon contest Sunday.

Pitt State is off to a 3-0 start to the young season after the Gorillas swept their competition at the Edmond First Pitch Classic, hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma, last weekend. The Gorillas defeated Oklahoma Baptist University (7-1), East Central University (8-2) and MSU Denver (11-2) in the classic format tournament.

This weekend's competition will be the season-opening action for Truman, which posted a 12-38 overall record a year ago.

As a team, the Gorillas are batting .258 and scoring 8.7 runs per game. Pitt State pitchers are carrying a 1.67 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 27 inning of work. The Gorillas have made just one error in 107 total changes (.991 fielding pct.).

Senior infielder Kadyn Williams made a strong Pitt State debut last weekend. He went 6-for-9 at the plate with four runs scored, one double, two home runs and six RBI. A three-time All-MIAA performer, Williams transferred to Pitt State from Emporia State University.

Junior infielder Dagen Brewer also collected five hits in 12 at-bats (.417) with two doubles, a home run and a team-best seven RBI in the opening weekend of play. Brewer was a first-team NJCAA All-American in 2023 at Johnson County Community College.

Newcomers Maddox Thornton and Kolby Dougan, a pair of right-handed graduate transfers, each registered quality starts in their Pitt State debuts.

Thornton (1-0, 0.00 ERA) limited OBU to three hits in 5.0 innings of work in the Gorillas season opener. He allowed one walk and two hit batters while recording three strikeouts.

Dougan (1-0, 1.40) retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced in the Gorillas win against MSU Denver last Sunday. He allowed just one run on two hits in 5.0 innings pitched, posting 12 strikeouts among his 15 outs. Dougan was named both the MIAA and the NCAA Division II Central Region Pitcher of the Week.

Senior RHP Tanner Leslie (0-0, 2.25 ERA) also limited ESU to four hits and a walk in 4.0 innings of work last Saturday. Senior RHP Brady Pacha (1-0, 2.25 ERA) earned the win in relief, limited the Tigers to a pair of hits and fanning six batters in 4.0 innings pitched.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Tanner Leslie: RHP; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#24 Brady Pacha: RHP; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#2 Kadyn Williams: INF; 5' 9"; Senior; L/R

#6 Dagen Brewer: INF; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#20 Kolby Dougan: RHP; 5' 11"; Graduate Student; R/R

#17 Maddox Thornton: RHP; 6' 2"; Graduate Student; R/R

Players Mentioned

#7 Tanner Leslie
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#24 Brady Pacha
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#2 Kadyn Williams
: 5' 9"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#6 Dagen Brewer
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#20 Kolby Dougan
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student; R/R
: RHP

#17 Maddox Thornton
: 6' 2"; Graduate Student; R/R
: RHP