PITTSBURG - The Pittsburg State University softball team picked up another conference sweep on Saturday (Apr. 18), this time against the University of Central Missouri Jennies (5-2, 10-8) at the Pittsburg State Softball Field.

Heather Arnett set another MIAA career record, this time for stolen bases in game one of the doubleheader against UCM. Passing Christen Belcher (Truman State, 2005-08), Arnett for her career now has 155 stolen bases to be tied for 15th in Division II history in the category.

Pittsburg State (43-2, 15-1 MIAA) in the first game got on the board first with a two run double from Kadyn Trochim, scoring Arnett and Haili Igou. UCM (29-15, 12-8 MIAA) responded with a pair of runs in the second inning to tie it up. In the bottom half of the second, the Gorillas took advantage of a Jennies error to score Trista Peterson and an RBI single from Trochim plated Arnett to make it a 4-2 lead. Arnett touched home one last time this time, following an RBI ground out from Igou to wrap up the scoring 5-2. 

In the circle for the first time in a little over a month, Ava Laurent (9-1) picked up the win with one earned run and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work. Emma Crabb recorded her third save of the season with a shutout 3.0 innings. Trochim finished the game 3-of-3 with a trio of runs driven in, Arnett went 2-of-3 with three runs scored and Igou finished the game 2-of-4 with a run scored and one RBI.

To end the day, Pitt State would need a late rally to claim the second game of the doubleheader against Central Missouri. UCM scored in the opening frame to take the early lead before another Jennies error allowed a Gorilla to score in the second inning, with a Kyleigh Lamont sacrifice fly scoring Bailey Haselhorst to give PSU a 2-1 lead after two complete innings. Central Missouri scored one run in the third before a four run fourth, capped off by a three run home run gave them a 6-2 lead. Lamont got the Gorillas back on the board in the fourth with a solo home run before a six run fifth swung the game back in favor of the hosts.

Igou got the scoring started in the fifth with a two run home run to right center before Sailor Hall and Lamont collected RBI hits, Rachael Schlotter provided the finishing touches to the inning with a two RBI double to give PSU a 9-6 lead. UCM would fight back with a run in the sixth and seventh but couldn't muster up enough to swing the game totally in their favor.

Leading the charge on offense, Lamont went 3-of-3 with four RBI in the game and scored twice. Sailor Hall finished 2-of-4 with a team-high three runs scored. In the circle, Crabb picked up the win to improve to 14-1 on the season with 3.0 innings of relief work. Lexi Franklin started in the circle for the no decision, with 4.0 innings of work.

Up next for Pittsburg State will be the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Friday (Apr. 24). First pitch from the Pittsburg State Softball Field is set for 2:00 p.m. (CDT), with game two set to begin approximately 30 minutes following the last out of game one.