KEARNEY, Neb. - The Pittsburg State University softball team picked up a conference opening sweep over the University of Nebraska - Kearney Lopers on Friday (Mar. 20) at Dryden Park.

Pittsburg State (28-1, 2-0 MIAA) the No. 11 team in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, came away with a 10-4 win in game one and 13-2 run rule victory in five innings to end the twinbill.

The Gorillas got out to an early 5-0 lead in the first game thanks to home runs hit by Lexi Davis and Kyleigh Lamont. Lamont and Rachael Schlotter collected sacrifice flies in the third before Heather Arnett singled home Haili Igou to push the lead up to 8-0. Nebraska - Kearney (11-20, 0-2 MIAA)  got on the board in the fourth inning to stave off the run rule, adding in an addition run in the sixth to make it a 8-2 lead for Pitt State. PSU scored again in the seventh from a Schlotter triple that platted Igou and Taylor Lundien, with the Gorillas coming away with a 10-4 win to begin conference action.

Davis, Lamont and Schlotter each finished with three runs driven in, Igou led the team with three runs scored and Heather Arnett went 3-of-4 with a stolen base, run scored and RBI. In the circle, Lexi Franklin (6-0) picked up the win with 5.0 innings of work as Sailor Hall pitched the final 2.0 innings.

Game two would see the Gorillas score nine runs in the fourth inning to induce the five inning run rule. Davis started off the scoring in the game with a first inning two-run home run, her second against UNK. Arnett scored Schlotter and Igou in the second off a double to provide the early 4-0 lead after two innings. Igou hit a two-run home run to begin the scoring in the fourth inning as Alleyna Rushing, Kadyn Trochim, Hall, Bailey Haselhorst and Trista Peterson collecting RBI hits in the inning.

Igou led the game with three RBI and three runs scored while being one of five Gorillas to collect multiple hits. Emma Crabb (9-0) picked up the win in the circle with 3.0 innings of work and five strikeouts with one hit surrendered. Erica Schertz pitched the final 2.0 innings for Pitt State in the circle.

Up next for Pittsburg State will be a trip to Hays, Kan., to end the weekend against the Fort Hays State University Tigers on Saturday (Mar. 21). First pitch against FHSU is set for Noon in a conference doubleheader at Fleharty Family Field. Fort Hays State (14-13, 3-3 MIAA) is coming off a split against No. 3 Missouri Southern State University on Friday to begin the weekend action.