PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team is set to host the Northeastern State University RiverHawks and the University of Central Missouri Jennies this weekend in a pair of conference doubleheaders at the Pittsburg State Softball Field.
 
First pitch against NSU is set for Noon on Friday (Apr. 17) and against UCM at 1:00 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday (Apr. 18).
 
Last week the Gorillas claimed doubleheader sweeps over Drury (Apr. 7) and Northwest Missouri (Apr. 10) before an originally scheduled Apr. 11 showdown against Missouri Western was postponed to Apr. 28 to prematurely end the weekend action for PSU.
 
Ranked No. 2 in the latest NFCAA Division II Top 25 Poll (Apr. 14), Pittsburg State as a team is hitting .392 with 374 runs scored (9.1), 450 hits (11.0) and 197 walks drawn (4.8) for a .481 on base percentage and .582 slugging percentage. In the circle, Pitt State as a team has a 2.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and .222 opponent batting average while striking out 223 hitters (5.4).
 
Among Division II ranks this season as a team, Pitt State leads the division in batting average, on base percentage, RBI per game (8.51), RBI (349), scoring, and sacrifice flies (29). The Gorillas also rank in the top 20 for total runs (2^nd), WL Percentage (2^nd, .951), walks drawn (2^nd), hits (3^rd), doubles (6^th, 84), shutouts (10^th, 10), doubles per game (10^th, 2.05), hits allowed per 7 innings (14^th, 5.76) and ERA (19^th).
 
Heather Arnett leads the team with a .559 average, 90 hits, 63 runs scored and 35 stolen bases while adding in 38 RBI, 11 doubles and six triples. Kadyn Trochim (.449) leads the team with 59 runs driven in, adding in 53 hits, 34 runs scored, 30 walks and 14 doubles. Alleyna Rushing (.437) has accumulated 59 hits, scored 48 runs for 23 RBI, walked 22 times and stolen 16 bases. Lexi Davis (.408) is second on the team with 55 RBI and seven home runs, adding in 49 total hits, 38 runs scored and 13 doubles. Sailor Hall (.352) leads the team with nine home runs and 15 doubles, while scoring 40 runs with 45 total hits and 36 RBI. Haili Igou (.312) the reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week, has amassed 34 hits, scored 39 runs, come away with 31 walks, driven in 29 runs with nine doubles and five home runs on the season. Rachael Schlotter (.310) rounds out the qualified hitters batting above .300 so far this season. Schlotter has accounted for 29 runs scored, 26 hits, 26 RBI and drawn 25 walks.
 
Emma Crabb (13-1, 1.56 ERA, 0.90 WHIP) leads the pitching staff with 75 strikeouts in 81.0 innings of work and a .192 opponent batting average. Lexi Franklin (11-0, 2.33 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) in 78.0 innings has struck out 56 hitters while limiting opponents to a .240 average. Ava Laurent (8-1, 2.66 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) in 52.2 innings has struck out 48 hitters while limiting opponents to a .200 average. Hall (7-0, 2.41 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) in 40.2 innings has struck out 39 batters while limiting hitters to a .277 average.
 
Among Division II individual ranks the Gorillas have nine members of the team featured in the top 40 among 23 categories.
 
Heather Arnett: hits (1^st), runs scored (1^st), runs scored per game (1^st, 1.54), batting average (2^nd) on base percentage (9^th, .571), total bases (9^th, 116), triples (11^th), stolen bases (11^th), stolen bases per game (18^th, 0.85) and triples per game (25^th, 0.15).
 
Kadyn Trochim: sacrifice flies (1^st, 8), RBI (5^th), RBI per game (7^th, 1.44), on base percentage (15^th, .560), walks per game (22^nd, 0.73), HBP (35^th, 10), doubles (38^th) and batting average (40^th)
 
Emma Crabb: WHIP (6^th), ERA (17^th), hits allowed per 7 innings (24^th, 4.75), strikeout-walk ratio (28^th, 4.17), shutouts (31^st, 4) and saves (38^th, 2)
 
Alleyna Rushing: runs scored (13^th), runs scored per game (23^rd, 1.17) and hits (28^th)
 
Lexi Davis: RBI (8^th) and RBI per game (12^th, 1.41)
 
Sailor Hall: doubles (21^st) and save (38^th, 2)
 
Ava Laurent: hits allowed per 7 innings (32^nd, 5.05)
 
Rachael Schlotter: sacrifice flies (16^th, 5)
 
Haili Igou: walks per game (16^th, 0.79)
 
Historically against Northeastern State, the Gorillas are 58-48 dating back to 1983. In Pittsburg, the Gorillas are 33-19 and in the last 10 overall games are 6-4 against the RiverHawks.
 
NSU is coming off a doubleheader sweep over No. 17 Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday (Apr. 14) in Tahlequah. On the season the RiverHawks are 26-17 overall and 11-9 in the MIAA, going 4-6 in the last 10 conference games. On the road this season, NSU is 6-8 with wins coming against Southwest Baptist, East Central, Washburn and Emporia State.
 
On the season, the RiverHawks are hitting .292 as a team with 210 runs (4.9) and 329 hits (7.7) with 75 stolen bases (1.7). As a pitching staff NSU owns a 4.28 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and .278 opponent batting average while striking out 122 batters (2.8) to 161 walks issued (3.7).
 
Leading the charge on offense this season has been Mattison Hamilont with a team-high .366 average and 48 hits to go with 25 runs scored, 25 runs driven in, 11 doubles and eight stolen bases. Mia Sarwinski (.336) leads the team with 27 runs scored, with 44 hits, 41 of which have been singles for nine RBI on the season. Annsleigh Morris (.311) is second on the team with six home runs and 32 RBI on the season. Peyton Watson (.310) rounds out the qualified hitters batting above .300 this season. Madison Nance (.283) leads the team with seven home runs and 33 runs driven in, while Emily Carpenter (.248) leads the team with 19 stolen bases. In the circle, Jensyn Elder (12-9, 3.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) in a team-high 30 appearances, 19 being starts has struck out 60 hitters in 121.2 innings with 47 walks issued for a .243 opponent batting average. Brooke Wyatt (4-3, 5.13 ERA, 1.96) in 58.2 innings has struck out 22 while walking 40 batters this season as opponents are hitting .310 against her. Aubree Saporito (5-3, 5.33 ERA, 1.89 WHIP) in 46.0 innings has walked 33 hitters, struck out nine and limits opponents to a .303 average.
 
All-time against Central Missouri, the Jennies hold a 55-32 advantage in the series that dates back to 1980. In Pittsburg, UCM is 16-13 and in the last 10 overall games is 6-4.
 
Coming into the weekend, Central Missouri is 28-12 overall and 11-5 in the MIAA. On the road the Jennies are 7-9 on the season and 4-4 against conference foes.
 
As a team this season, Central Missouri is hitting .308 with 242 runs scored (6.1) and 322 hits (8.1) while hitting 46 home runs (1.2) and stealing 83 bases (2.1) in 96 attempts. In the circle, the Jennies own a 3.11 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and .254 opponent batting average while striking out 136 hitters in 259.0 innings.
 
Lexi Blackmon leads the team with a .411 average and 19 stolen bases, adding in 44 hits, 27 runs scored and 10 RBI. Kyrsten Morgan (.376), Bailey Brumley (.362), Marisa Johnson (.344) and Taylor Thompson (.306) are the other qualified hitters batting above .300 this season. Thomspon and Johnson are tied for the team lead with 13 home runs as Thompson (45), Brumley (36) and Johnson (35) are the top three for UCM in driving in runs. In the circle, Brumley (8-3, 3.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP) leads the team with 74.2 innings of work with 52 strikeouts and a .253 opponent batting average. Andi Siebeneck (11-4, 2.82 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) in 72.0 innings has struck out 32 batters, walked 25 as opponents are hitting .259. Riley Bebb (4-3, 2.85 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) in 66.1 innings has recorded 40 strikeouts as opponents are hitting .279. Madelyn Ducheneaux (3-1, 3.67 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) in 42.0 innings of relief work has walked 21 hitters, struck out 12 while holding opponents to a .201 average.