PITTSBURG - The Pittsburg State University softball team begins play this week on Wednesday in Springfield, Mo., against Drury before resuming MIAA play at home against Washburn and Emporia State on Saturday and Sunday.
First pitch from Thompson Field at Meador Park on Mar. 19th is set for Noon to begin the non-conference doubleheader. The Gorillas will then return home to host a pair of conference twinbills against Washburn on Mar. 22nd beginning at 1:00 p.m. (CDT) and Emporia State on Mar. 23rd at Noon.
Ranked 25th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll, the Gorillas enter the week 21-7 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play. Leading the charge is
Heather Arnett, hitting .564 with 57 hits, 41 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, 17 runs driven in and eight doubles.
Alleyna Rushing is hitting .456 with 31 hits, 22 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and 12 runs driven in.
Courtney Storey averages .430 with 37 hits, 33 runs driven in, 16 runs scored and eight doubles.
Kadyn Trochim at .342 leads the team with nine home runs, driving in 29 runs and slugging .785.
Ava Sarwinski is hitting .339 with 12 RBI and
Kendall Forbes rounds out the qualified hitters batting above .300 at .306 with 18 runs scored and seven stolen bases.
In the circle for PSU,
Aydenne Brown (9-3, 2.26 ERA) and
Ava Laurent (9-4, 3.19 ERA) lead the staff as starters. Brown in 55.2 innings has struck out 71 and limits opponents to a .175 average. Laurent in 72.1 innings has struck out 75 batters and opponents are hitting .236 against her.
Chelsea Beville (0-0, 3.00 ERA),
Jadyn Standeford (2-0, 0.93 ERA),
Lexi Franklin (1-0, 1.08 ERA) and
Shelby Underwood (0-0, 0.00 ERA) round out the staff.
Drury is off to an 11-13 overall record, going 6-2 in the GLVC and is 8-4 at home. For the Panthers, Sophia Luetticke is hitting .408 with 31 hits, 21 runs scored, 18 stolen bases and 14 runs driven in. Avery Budde is the other qualified batter hitting above .300 at .328 with 21 hits, seven doubles and 9 RBI. AJ Agers leads the team with three home runs and in the circle is 2-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 27.2 innings. Jordyn Foley (2-6, 4.73 ERA), Avery Budde (2-2, 3.90 ERA) and Kaley Adzick (4-2, 6.19 ERA) round out the starting pitchers.
Washburn enters the week with a 21-10 overall record and are 3-1 in the MIAA. Leading the Ichabods on offense is Makenzie Sais with a .356 average, 31 hits, 23 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Kaylee Wagner is hitting .313 with 31 hits, eight doubles, 23 runs driven in and a pair of home runs. Ellington Hogle is the other qualified hitter to bat above .300 at .305 with 29 hits, 17 runs scored, eight doubles and a team-high 25 runs driven in. Leading the pitching staff is Sadie Walker (9-4, 4.56 ERA) with 21 appearances, 17 being starting assignments, 92.2 innings of work with 99 strikeouts and opponents hitting .255 against her. Jenna Sprague (7-3, 3.21 ERA) and Ava Bloyd (4-3, 5.29 ERA) are also starting pitchers for Washburn.
Emporia State will enter the week with a 21-9 overall record and 2-2 in the MIAA. Gracie Rabe (7-6, 2.40 ERA) and Jordan Harrison (9-2, 2.62 ERA) are joined by Jayda VanAckeren (5-1, 4.13 ERA) to account for all the pitcher for the Hornets this season. Rabe leads the staff with 78.2 innings and a .224 opponent batting average while Harrison has struck out a team-high 77 batters. Offensively, Taryn Burkhardt leads the team with a .355 average, 33 hits, 26 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Juliana De Luna is hitting .352 with 31 hits, 20 runs scored, four doubles and 18 runs driven in. Sydney Wagner is hitting .341 with 31 hits, 20 runs scored and 12 runs driven in. Kinsey Perine and Leslie Ramos are averaging .333 with Mallory Moore (.323) and Brokke Flewelling (.308) rounding out the qualified hitters batting above .300. Flewelling has posts a team-high 29 runs driven in, seven home runs and six doubles.
