MANKATO, Minn. — The Pittsburg State University baseball scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break an 8-8 tie and eventually claim a 10-8 victory over Minnesota State University Sunday (May 18) to advance to the 2025 NCAA-II Super Regionals.
The No. 15 ranked Gorillas capped a 3-0 slate of action in the NCAA-II Central Regional at ISG Field after posting wins over Henderson State University (18-5), the University of Arkansas-Monticello (11-5) and the host Mavericks. Pitt State will now meet No. 3 ranked University of Central Missouri in a best two-of-three game series beginning Thursday (May 22) at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field at Warrensburg, Mo.
The Gorillas (42-10) jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second inning against MSU, but Pitt State needed offensive heroics from
Rickey Sanchez to fend off the Mavs comeback-bid after MSU (51-8) battled back to knot the score at 8-8 in the top of the sixth frame.
Sanchez delivered a single to left field to plate
Alex Rodgers with the go-ahead run with no outs in the bottom of the sixth. Rodgers was hit by pitch and stole second base to set up Sanchez's base hit.
Drew Bugner, who had four hits in the contest, then beat out a bunt single and
Dagen Brewer singled to shortstop to lead the bases against MSU reliever Spencer Wright (2-3).
Kadyn Williams then delivered a one-out sacrifice fly to score Sanchez with an insurance run.
Cadyn Castellanos (4-2), who surrendered the game-tying runs in the top of the sixth inning, settled in to pitch 4.0 innings of three-hit relief work to hold the Mavs off down the stretch.
Cooper Crouch worked a quiet ninth inning to seal the victory and register his fifth save of the season.
Pitt State fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, but the Gorillas countered with seven runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 7-2 lead. Not to be outdone, MSU plated four runs in the top of the third to trim the margin to one, at 7-6. Pitt State's
Andrew Branson, who had a team-leading three RBI on the day, hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to extend the Gorillas margin to two, at 8-6.
Brewer smacked a two-run home run -- his 23rd of the season -- as part of Pitt State's seven-run second inning. Bugner and Branson also doubled in the contest.