Gorillas to Face Jets in MIAA Road Series

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team travel to Wichita, Kan., for a three-game MIAA series against Newman University beginning Saturday (Apr. 5).

The Gorillas and Jets are scheduled to face off Saturday at 4 p.m. (CDT), Sunday (Apr. 6) at 2 p.m. and Monday (Apr. 7) at 1 p.m. The series originally was slated to start Friday, but it was pushed back a day due to inclement weather.

Pitt State enters the series 23-7 overall and 12-7 in MIAA play. The Gorillas have won five straight games after sweeping a three-game MIAA series from Northeastern State University last weekend and claiming a 5-0 non-conference win over Drury University Tuesday (Apr. 1). Pitt State currently sits in fourth place in the MIAA standings.

Newman is 8-23 overall (4-17 MIAA). The Jets are seeking to halt a nine-game losing streak after most recently dropping a 16-12 road decision to Missouri Southern State University Tuesday (Apr. 1) in Wichita. Newman is alone in last place in the conference standings.

As a team, the Gorillas are batting .322 and scoring 9.3 runs per game to date. Pitt State pitchers are carrying a 4.23 ERA with 271 strikeouts in 257.2 innings of work. The Gorillas have made just 22 errors in 1,065 total chances (.979 fielding pct.). Offensively, Pitt State leads the MIAA in batting average, runs scored, doubles (85), triples (20), on-base percentage (.430) and slugging percentage (.547). The Gorillas are second in the conference in RBI (196), fourth in the league in stolen bases (49) and sixth in the conference in home runs (34).

The Pitt State pitching staff ranks leads the MIAA in ERA and ranks second in strikeouts (9.5 K/9 IP) and opponent batting average (.249). Defensively, the Gorillas rank second in the conference to date in fielding percentage.

Junior infielder Drew Bugner is batting a team-leading .413 with eight doubles, three triples and 23 RBI in 21 games played. Bugner () ranks fourth in the MIAA in batting average.

Senior infielder Rickey Sanchez is hitting .391 with 35 runs scored, 14 doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI. Sanchez (Mexico City) ranks sixth in the conference in batting average, third in the conference in doubles and eighth in the league in run scored.

Junior infielder/designated hitter Dagen Brewer has a .323/.398/.760 slash line in 25 games played. The Topeka native has 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 44 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 third the MIAA in doubles, RBI and slugging and tied for fourth in home runs.

Graduate outfielder Alex Rodgers (.349/.507/.532) has scored a team-leading 49 runs and stolen 20 bases. He leads the MIAA in runs scored and triples (5) and ranks second in the league in stolen bases.

Pitt State starting pitchers Kolby Dougan (6-0, 2.08 ERA), Maddox Thornton (6-1, 2.91) and Tanner Leslie (2-2, 5.35 ERA) are a combined 14-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 96.3 innings of work following each pitcher's first eight 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 12 runs and 28 hits in 52.0 innings pitched this season, while issuing just 14 walks and registering 85 strikeouts. He leads the MIAA and ranks second in NCAA Division II in strikeouts (14.71 Ks/9 IP) and WHIP (0.81). Dougan also leads the league in opponent batting average (.156).

Thornton, a graduate RHP, has allowed 49 hits and eight walks in 46.1 IP. The Bentonville, Ark., native has registered 40 strikeouts so far. Thornton shares the MIAA lead with Dougan, and two other pitchers, for victories.

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 Tuesday (Apr. 1).

Senior RHP Cadyn Castellanos (0-2, 4.22 ERA) and junior RHP Cooper Crouch (1-1, 1 Sv, 2.79 ERA) have been effective out of the Pitt State bullpen. Castellanos (Murrieta, Calif.) has 24 Ks in 21.1 innings pitched. He's allowed 22 hits and just three walks in 13 appearances, while Crouch (Webb City, Mo.) has surrendered three runs with 10 strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work in nine 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 1,101-490 (.692) record in 29 years as a collegiate coach, including a 196-111 (.638) mark in seven seasons at the Pitt State helm.

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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