PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University baseball team will travel to Warrensburg, Mo., to face the University of Central Missouri in a best two-of-three game series in the NCAA Division II Super Regionals beginning Thursday (May 22).
 
First pitch is set for 3 p.m. (CDT) Thursday at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. Game two will be 2 p.m. Friday (May 23) with Saturday's game three action set for 1 p.m., if necessary.
 
Pitt State (42-10) advanced to the Super Regional by sweeping the competition in the four-team NCAA-II Central Regional pod at Mankato, Minn. The Gorillas posted wins over Henderson State University (18-5), the University of Arkansas-Monticello (11-5) and No. 6 ranked Minnesota State University (10-8).
 
Pitt State is making the program's sixth trip to the NCAA-II National Tournament – the Gorillas' first appearance in the NCAA postseason since 2018. Pitt State made three straight trips to the Central Regional from 1997-99 as well as berths in 2002 and 2018.
 
UCM (41-11) qualified for the Super Regional after posting a 3-0 record in the NCAA-II Central Regional pod at Warrensburg last week. The Mules downed Harding University, 8-7, in 12 innings before defeating Arkansas Tech University, 21-8, and then Harding again, 13-6, in the regional final.
 
The winner of the Super Regional will qualify for the eight-team 2025 Division II World Series to be played in Cary, N.C., at the USA Baseball Complex, May 31-June 7.
 
 
2025 NCAA Division II National Tournament
 
Super Regional, Warrensburg, Mo.
 
May 22
Game 1, Pittsburg State (42-10) vs. Central Missouri (41-11), 3 p.m.
May 23
Game 2, Central Missouri vs. Pittsburg State, 2 p.m.
May 24
Game 3, Pittsburg State vs. Central Missouri, 1 p.m. (if necessary)
 
 
Gorillas On Radio
The Gorillas games will be broadcast live in the Four States on the Gorilla Sports Network on the radio dial at 100.7 FM, 107.9 FM and 1340 AM. Fans can hear ESPN 100.7's live broadcasts anywhere in the world on the internet at: www.espn1007.com. The games also can be heard through the ESPN 100.7 app for phones or mobile devices.


The Record
Pitt State enters the NCAA Division II Super Regional with a 42-10 overall record. 
 
The Gorillas are ranked No. 15 in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released May 14. Pitt State has won 23 of its last 26 games. The Gorillas are enjoying the program's first-ever 40-win campaign after reaching that milestone in their first-round NCAA-II match-up against Henderson State on May 15.

The Gorillas have a 7-10 overall record in NCAA Tournament games. Pitt State posted a 2-2 mark en route to reaching the 1999 NCAA Central Regional Final at Warrensburg, Mo., before falling, 6-2, to Rockhurst University.

The Mules took two of three games from the Gorillas in their MIAA regular season series, Feb. 28-Mar. 2, at Crane Stadium. UCM posted 11-6 and 7-6 (10 innings) wins before Pitt State took the final game, 7-4.


Head Coach Bob Fornelli
Bob Fornelli is in his seventh year as head coach at Pittsburg State. He has compiled a 215-114 (.653) record leading the Gorillas. He recorded his 200th career at Pitt State in the Gorillas 8-5 win over Missouri Southern on Apr. 9
 
Fornelli, who has guided Pitt State to a 39-10 overall record this season, 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 1,120-493 (.694) record in 29 years as a collegiate coach.
 
He announced earlier this month that he will retire from his position following the end of the season.
 
Fornelli came to Pitt State from MIAA rival Emporia State University where he fashioned a 599-266 (.692) record in 15 seasons leading his alma mater (2004-18). Fornelli guided the Hornets to 13 trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, two appearances in the D2 World Series and a national runner-up finish in 2009. He led ESU to five MIAA regular season crowns (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017) and a pair of MIAA Tournament titles (2007, 2014).
 
Prior to ESU, Fornelli compiled a 306-113 (.730) record in seven seasons at Fort Hays State University. He led the Tigers to four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the D2 national championship game in 2000. He remains the winningest head coach in FHSU program history.


Scouting the Gorillas
As a team, the Gorillas are batting .325 and scoring 9.4 runs per game to date. Pitt State pitchers are carrying a 4.44 ERA with 413 strikeouts in 450.1 innings of work. The Gorillas have made just 35 errors in 1,863 total chances (.981 fielding pct.).
 
Offensively, Pitt State leads the MIAA in runs, doubles (132), triples (26), RBI (449),slugging percentage (.547) and on-base percentage (.431). The Gorillas are second in the conference in batting average, tied for third place in home runs (71) and fifth in stolen bases (77).
 
The Pitt State pitching staff ranks second in the MIAA in ERA and opponent batting average (.259) and third in strikeouts (8.25 K/9 IP). 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 .405 with 15 doubles, four home runs and 46 RBI in 40 games played. A first-team All-MIAA selection, Bugner (Wichita, Kan.) leads the MIAA in batting average. He had a 21-game hitting streak snapped vs. Missouri Western on Apr. 25. It tied for the second-longest hit streak in school history.
 
Graduate outfielder Alex Rodgers (.368/.514/.547) has scored a team-leading 77 runs, smacked 10 doubles, six triples and four home runs and stolen 30 bases. He leads the MIAA in runs and stolen bases and ranks sixth in Division II in runs scored and tied for 10th place nationally in triples. A first-team All-MIAA performer and an MIAA Gold Glove recipient, Rodgers set the PSU single season record for runs scored in the regular season finale.
 
Junior infielder/designated hitter Dagen Brewer has a .376/.444/.871 slash line in 44 games played. The Topeka native has 19 doubles, 23 home runs and 75 RBI to his credit. He tied the school single game record with nine RBI in the win vs. SBU on Mar. 18 and he established a new Pitt State single season home run mark by smacking his 20^th round tripper of the season in the regular season finale vs. Arkansas Fort Smith on May 3.
 
Brewer leads the MIAA in home runs and slugging and ranks second in the league in RBI. He also ranks third nationally in RBI per game (1.70 pg) and fourth nationally in home runs per game (0.52 pg). Brewer was a first-team All-MIAA selection.
 
Senior infielder Rickey Sanchez is hitting .379 with 58 runs scored, 20 doubles, six home runs and 48 RBI. Sanchez (Mexico City) ranks fourth in the conference in batting average and tied for third in the league in doubles. Sanchez garnered third-team All-MIAA honors and earned an MIAA Gold Glove Award for his .979 fielding percentage at shortstop.
 
Pitt State starting pitchers Kolby Dougan (8-0, 2.42 ERA), Maddox Thornton (10-2, 3.24) and Tanner Leslie (6-2, 4.98 ERA) are a combined 24-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 230.0 innings on 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 18 runs and 36 hits in 67.0 innings pitched this season, while issuing just 20 walks and registering 107 strikeouts. He leads the MIAA and NCAA Division II in strikeouts (14.37 Ks/9 IP) and WHIP (0.84). Dougan earned first-team All-MIAA honors and was selected the MIAA Co-Pitcher of the Year.
 
Thornton, a graduate RHP, has allowed 97 hits and just 12 walks in 94.1 IP. The Bentonville, Ark., native has registered 74 strikeouts so far. Thornton leads the MIAA in victories and ranks fourth in the conference in ERA.
 
Leslie, a senior RHP, has a 20-9 career record with a 5.12 ERA in 49 career appearances (37 starts) for the Gorillas. His 20 career wins ranks second on Pitt State's all-time victories list. Leslie earned All-MIAA honors for the third time in his career after being named to the third-team All-MIAA squad.

Senior RHP Brady Pacha also is 5-1 with a 2.86 ERA and one save in 13 appearances, three starts. He has allowed just 20 hits in 34.2 IP. Pacha (Wichita) has 33 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 (4-2, 3.76 ERA) and junior RHP Cooper Crouch (4-2, 5 Sv, 4.10 ERA) have been effective out of the Pitt State bullpen. Castellanos (Murrieta, Calif.) has 39 Ks in 52.2 innings pitched. He's allowed 49 hits and just nine walks in 20 appearances (four starts), while Crouch (Webb City, Mo.) has registered 22 strikeouts in 26.1 innings of work in 22 appearances. Castellanos has a 2-0 record with a 3.23 ERA in his four starts for the Gorillas. Both Castellanos and Crouch garnered honorable mention All-MIAA recognition.