Gorillas to Host Ichabods in MIAA Series

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will return home to the friendly confines of Al Ortolani Field for a three-game series against Washburn University beginning Thursday (Apr. 17).

The Gorillas and Ichabods are scheduled to face off Thursday at 5 p.m. (CDT), Friday (Apr. 18) at 2 p.m. and Saturday (Apr. 19) at 1 p.m.

Pitt State enters the series 31-7 overall, 19-7 in MIAA play and ranked No. 19 in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Wednesday (Apr. 16). The Gorillas have won a program record 13 straight games after posting a 17-12 road win over Missouri University of Science & Technology Tuesday at Rolla, Mo. Pitt State currently sits in third place in the MIAA standings.

Washburn is 21-21 overall (14-15 MIAA). The Ichabods dropped a 10-8 extra-inning decision to MIAA leader Fort Hays State University at Topeka Tuesday. WU had won four of its previous five games prior to the match-up against the Tigers. The Ichabods currently are alone in seventh place in the conference standings.

The Gorillas are 19-3 (.864) at home this spring. Pitt State has recorded 20 or more home wins 10 times in program history. The single-season record for home victories is 25 set in 1998 (25-7) and matched in 2003 (25-8).

As a team, the Gorillas are batting .322 and scoring 9.3 runs per game to date. Pitt State pitchers are carrying a 4.19 ERA with 335 strikeouts in 326.2 innings of work. The Gorillas have made just 24 errors in 1,351 total chances (.982 fielding pct.). Offensively, Pitt State leads the MIAA in batting average, runs scored, triples (24), on-base percentage (.434) and slugging percentage (.547). The Gorillas are second in the conference in doubles (94) and RBI (324), fifth in the league in stolen bases (63) and sixth in the conference in home runs (49).

The Pitt State pitching staff ranks leads the MIAA in ERA and ranks second in the conference in strikeouts (9.23 K/9 IP) and opponent batting average (.249). Defensively, the Gorillas lead the conference and rank second in NCAA Division II in fielding percentage.

Junior infielder Drew Bugner is batting a team-leading .431 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 33 RBI in 27 games played. Bugner (Wichita, Kan.) leads the MIAA in batting average and enters Thursday's action on a 17-game hitting streak.

Graduate outfielder Alex Rodgers (.399/.537/.587) has scored a team-leading 62 runs, smacked six triples and stolen 27 bases. He leads the MIAA in runs and stolen bases and ranks in a tie for fourth place in Division II in runs scored and tied for fifth place nationally in triples.

Senior infielder Rickey Sanchez is hitting .3753 with 39 runs scored, 14 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBI. Sanchez (Mexico City) ranks seventh in the conference in batting average and tied for fifth place in the conference in doubles.

Junior infielder/designated hitter Dagen Brewer has a .350/.430/.817 slash line in 31 games played. The Topeka native has 14 doubles, 14 home runs and 54 RBI to his credit. He tied the school single game record with nine RBI in the win vs. SBU on Mar. 18. Brewer currently ranks second in the MIAA in slugging, third in the conference in RBI and fourth in the league in home runs.

Pitt State starting pitchers Kolby Dougan (7-0, 2.03 ERA), Maddox Thornton (8-1, 2.98) and Tanner Leslie (4-2, 4.10 ERA) are a combined 19-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 170.2 innings of work following each pitcher's first 10 starts of the season.

Dougan, a graduate RHP, garnered NCAA Division II National Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 13 after he fired a complete-game one hitter and tied a school record with 16 strikeouts in a 12-0 victory over Truman State on Feb. 8. The Topeka native has allowed just 14 runs and 32 hits in 62.0 innings pitched this season, while issuing just 16 walks and registering 102 strikeouts. He leads the MIAA and NCAA Division II in strikeouts (14.81 Ks/9 IP) and he ranks second nationally in WHIP (0.77). Dougan also leads the league in opponent batting average (.150).

Thornton, a graduate RHP, has allowed 59 hits and eight walks in 60.1 IP. The Bentonville, Ark., native has registered 51 strikeouts so far. Thornton shares the MIAA lead for victories with FHSU's Ty Riley.

Leslie, a senior RHP, has allowed just two runs in his last three starts. He's walked one batter and registered 15 strikeouts in 18.0 innings of work while picking up three straight victories. The Haysville, Kan., native has an 18-9 career record with a 5.01 ERA in 44 career appearances (33 starts) for the Gorillas. His 18 career wins ranks second on Pitt State's all-time victories list.

Senior RHP Brady Pacha also is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA and one save in 11 appearances, three starts. He has allowed just 16 hits in 30.2 IP. Pacha (Wichita) has 28 strikeouts to his credit. He tossed 7.0 shutout innings in the Gorillas' 5-0 win vs. Drury on Apr. 1.

Senior RHP Cadyn Castellanos (1-2, 4.00 ERA) and junior RHP Cooper Crouch (2-1, 4 Sv, 4.02 ERA) have been effective out of the Pitt State bullpen. Castellanos (Murrieta, Calif.) has 26 Ks in 27.0 innings pitched. He's allowed 27 hits and just four walks in 15 appearances, while Crouch (Webb City, Mo.) has surrendered seven runs with 15 strikeouts in 15.2 innings of work in 14 appearances.

Pitt State's Bob Fornelli became just the fourth active NCAA Division II head coach to reach 1,100 career victories in the Gorillas' 13-7 win vs. Northeastern State on Mar. 30. Fornelli has a 1,109-490 (.694) record in 29 years as a collegiate coach, including a 204-111 (.648) mark in seven seasons at the Pitt State helm. He will coach in his 1,600th all-time game Thursday against the Ichabods.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#16 Cayden Castellanos: RHP; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#12 Drew Bugner: INF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#1 Rickey Sanchez: INF; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#4 Alex Rodgers: OF; 6' 0"; Graduate Student; R/R

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

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

#19 Cooper Crouch: RHP; 6' 0"; Junior; 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

#16 Cayden Castellanos
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#12 Drew Bugner
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#1 Rickey Sanchez
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#4 Alex Rodgers
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student; R/R
: OF

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

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

#19 Cooper Crouch
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

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