The baseball team played a series against Emporia this past weekend from Friday, April 12 to Sunday, April 14 and played Arkansas Tech Tuesday, April 16. The Gorillas lost the first game in the series (3-9) but managed to battle back and win the last two games (1-0, 7-4). The team did not stop their winning streak there. They went on two play Arkansas Tech on Tuesday and won that match as well (9-3).
Head coach Bob Fornelli believes the team played well.
“I think we are playing pretty good baseball right now,” Fornelli said. “I think we just have to get grinding, keep fighting to get every opportunity to win a baseball game. So, I think the kids are doing a really good job of that right (and) I am really proud of the way they are playing.”
According to Fornelli, the team is really shaping up and coming together.
“I think the biggest thing right now is they are just coming together, and they are starting to believe that they can win and relaxing and playing the game,” Fornelli said.
In the first game against Emporia, senior Alex Achtermann had two hits and sophomore Blain Olhmeier, senior John Oliver, and junior Greyson Pinkett all had one apiece. Junior Ty Herrenbruck had nine putouts and freshman Quin Reasoner had four. Oliver added five assists, junior Tyson Cushman had four, and Herrenbruck and Reasoner each had one apiece.
In the second game against Emporia on Saturday, Ohlmeier and junior Clint Allen each had two hits and Achtermann and Reasoner each had one apiece. Herrenbruck had a total of 10 putouts, Pinkett had nine, Reasoner had two, and Oliver added one. Reasoner and Oliver each had three assists apiece and Pinkett added one.
In the third game against Emporia on Sunday, Herrenbruck had three hits and Oliver, Pinkett, and junior Chaz Burgess all had two apiece. Burgess had two RBIs and Pinkett, Herrenbruck, and Oliver all had one apiece. Pinkett had a total of 11 putouts, Herrenbruck added six, and Oliver had two. Cushman had four assists and Oliver added one.
In the match against Arkansas Tech, Cushman had three hits, senior Jake Durossette had two, and Oliver and Pinkett each had one apiece. Oliver had a total of five RBIs and Durossette had one. Herrenbruck had a total of 17 putouts, Pinkett had three, and Cushman added one. Cushman had six assists, Oliver had three, and Pinkett added one.
Senior Alex Achtermann stood out to Fornelli during the games.
“Alex Achtermann was the pitcher of the week last week for our conference,” Fornelli said. “He threw a shutout on Saturday in Emporia.”
Fornelli hopes to see the continue fighting and winning in their next series against Missouri Western from Thursday, April 18 to Saturday, April 20 here in Pittsburg.
“(I hope to see the team) just keep fighting (and) keep finding ways to win baseball games,” Fornelli said. “(We have a) big weekend series with Missouri Western so we have to come out and play the right way.”