PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team will open a key three-game MIAA series with the University of Central Missouri beginning Friday (Mar. 13). The Gorillas and Mules will meet at 3 p.m. (CDT) Friday at Al Ortolani Field with a 2 p.m. contest Saturday and an 1 p.m. game Sunday to follow.

Pittsburg State is 20-1 overall and 10-1 in MIAA play. The Gorillas ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Wednesday (Mar. 11); and Pitt State is ranked No. 4 nationally in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Top 30 poll released Tuesday (Mar. 10). This marks the first time in program history the Gorillas have earned a No. 1 national ranking from either the baseball writers or the coaches.
 
Pitt State posted a 21-4 home win over Newman University Wednesday, after taking two of three games in an MIAA road series against then No. 15 Emporia State University last weekend.
 
Central Missouri is 18-3 overall (9-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 7 by the baseball writers and No. 6 in the coaches poll coming into Friday's action. The Mules will bring a three-game winning streak into the series after securing a 7-6 road win over Washburn University Wednesday at Topeka.
 
UCM claimed MIAA regular season and postseason tournament titles in 2025. The Mules defeated the Gorillas in the NCAA Division II Super Regionals last year to advance to the D2 World Series at Cary, N.C. Pitt State posted a program-best 42 wins during the 2025 campaign.
 
The Gorillas currently lead Division II in scoring (13.4 rpg) and on-base percentage (.500), rank second nationally in batting average (.385), fifth nationally in hits (280) and seventh nationally in slugging (.585). Pitt State's pitchers also carry the fifth-best ERA (3.18) in the nation and the Gorillas rank second nationally in WHIP (1.14). Defensively, the Gorillas rank eighth in D2 in fielding percentage (.980). Pitt State leads the MIAA in batting average, scoring, runs (281), hits, home runs (26), slugging percentage, on-base percentage and earned run average.
 
The Mules rank second in the MIAA in batting average (.350), scoring (10.4 rpg), runs (218) hits (238), on-base percentage (.480) and fielding percentage (.981). UCM leads D2 in stolen bases (106) and triples (12).
 
Senior outfielder Dagen Brewer leads the MIAA and ranks fourth nationally with a .534 batting average. He has collected 39 hits, with 12 doubles and eight home runs, scored 35 runs and compiled 44 RBI. Brewer ranks second in D2 in RBI (2.10 pg) and slugging (1.055), ranks third nationally in on-base percentage (.633) and sixth in D2 in runs. The Topeka native was named the Division II Hitter of the Week last week. Brewer saw his MIAA record consecutive game hitting streak end at 37 games in last Friday's match-up against ESU.
 
Junior outfielder Eric Bacon is hitting .447 with 39 runs scored, five doubles, two home runs and 31 RBI. He leads the MIAA and ranks second in D2 in runs scored. Bacon also leads the MIAA in hits (39) and ranks second in the conference in batting average.
 
Junior infielder Jadyn McNealy (.408, 36 runs, 25 SB) leads D2 in stolen bases and ranks fourth nationally in runs scored. Senior outfielder Isaac Webb is slashing .380/.467/.709 on the season. He has eight doubles, three triples, four home runs and 34 RBI to date. Junior infielder Landin Midgett also is batting .379 with seven doubles, three HRs and 36 RBI. Midgett ranks eighth nationally in RBI (1.71 pg).

On the mound, graduate righthander Zach Voss is 6-0 on the season. Voss has a 1.93 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 28.0 innings pitched. Redshirt sophomore RHP Elijah Seitz is 3-0 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts on the season, while senior righthander Preston Giltner is 3-1 with a 4.81 ERA through his first six starts.
 
Junior righthander Bradyn McClure has a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA and two saves in 16.2 innings of relief work over five appearances, while redshirt junior RHP Cason Long is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12.0 innings of work. Senior RHP Cooper Crouch (0-0, 1.59) has two saves on the season, while junior RHP Ethan Froud is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA and one save in six appearances. Redshirt junior LHP Ty Blecha is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 19.0 innings of work over six appearances, including a pair of starts the last two times out.