PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team will open a three-game MIAA series with the University of Central Oklahoma beginning Friday (Mar. 20). The Gorillas and Bronchos 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 23-2 overall and 12-2 in MIAA play. The Gorillas are ranked No. 1 in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released today; and Pitt State is ranked No. 2 nationally in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Top 30 poll released Tuesday (Mar. 17).
 
Pitt State took two of three games in a home series vs. No. 7/6 University of Central Missouri last weekend. The Gorillas also claimed a 10-7 non-conference home win over Drury University Tuesday.
 
Central Oklahoma is 12-12 on the season and 3-7 in MIAA play. The Bronchos dropped two of three games in an MIAA series to Emporia State University last weekend; and UCO suffered a 13-6 home loss to Rogers State University Tuesday in an MIAA midweek match-up.
 
The Gorillas rank among the national leaders in scoring (12.7 rpg), batting average (.370), hits (318), slugging percentage (.563), on-base percentage (.487), earned-run average (3.64) and fielding percentage (.976). Pitt State leads the MIAA in batting average, runs, hits, RBI, slugging, on-base percentage and ERA.
 
Senior outfielder Dagen Brewer leads the MIAA with a .500 batting average. He has collected 43 hits, with 14 doubles and nine home runs, scored 38 runs and compiled 51 RBI. Brewer ranks second in D2 in RBI (2.04 pg) and slugging (1.000). The Topeka native was named the Division II Hitter of the Week on Mar. 5 after hitting .857 (12-14) with three doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI in four games. Brewer set an MIAA record for consecutive games hitting streak at 37 games earlier this season.
 
Junior outfielder Eric Bacon is hitting .427 with 42 runs scored, eight doubles, two home runs and 38 RBI. He leads the MIAA and ranks second in D2 in runs scored. Bacon also leads the MIAA in hits (44) and ranks third in the conference in batting average.
 
Junior infielder Jadyn McNealy (.370, 40 runs, 28 SB) leads D2 in stolen bases and ranks fourth nationally in runs scored. Senior outfielder Isaac Webb is slashing .344/.442/.655 on the season. He has eight doubles, three triples, four home runs and 37 RBI to date. Junior infielder Landin Midgett also is batting .367 with eight doubles, four HRs and 38 RBI. Midgett garnered NCAA-II Central Region Hitter of the Week honors on Feb. 11.
 
On the mound, graduate righthander Zach Voss is 6-0 on the season. Voss has a 2.73 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 33.0 innings pitched. Redshirt sophomore RHP Elijah Seitz is 4-0 with a 3.31 ERA in seven appearances (four starts) on the season, while senior righthander Preston Giltner is 3-1 with a 5.00 ERA through his first seven starts.
 
Junior righthander Bradyn McClure has a 2-0 record with a 1.74 ERA and three saves in 20.2 innings of relief work over six appearances, while redshirt junior RHP Cason Long is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 14.2 innings of work. Senior RHP Cooper Crouch (0-0, 1.04) has four saves on the season, while junior RHP Ethan Froud is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA and one save in eight appearances and redshirt junior Bradley Neill is 1-0 with a 284 ERA in eight appearances. Redshirt junior LHP Ty Blecha is 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 20.1 innings of work over seven appearances, including three starts over the last three weeks.