PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team smacked five home runs to help fuel the Gorillas to a 13-2 run-rule victory over Washburn University in the opening game of a three-game MIAA series Thursday (Apr. 17) at Al Ortolani Field.

The No. 19 ranked Gorillas (32-7, 20-7 MIAA) jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead on Dagen Brewer's three-run blast. Pitt State expanded its margin to 5-1 in the second on back-to-back honers by Kadyn Williams and Alex Rodgers. Hayden Dyer added a solo shot as part of a two-run fifth inning. Drew Bugner capped the long ball session with a walkoff two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap the scoring.

Cadyn Castellanos (2-2) went the distance on the mound in his first career start for the Gorillas. Castellanos limited the Ichabods (21-22, 14-16 MIAA) to two runs on five hits, while registering four strikeouts.

Brewer and Nixon Brannan each drove in three runs in the game. Brannan delivered a three-run double as part of Pitt State's four-run sixth inning. Bugner extended his consecutive game hitting streak to 17 thanks to his seventh-inning homer. He entered his final at-bat 0-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Gorillas and Ichabods will wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Friday (Apr. 18) at Al Ortolani Field.