The Pitt State Club Baseball team won all three games in a home series against the UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions from Saturday, April 27 to Sunday, April 28. The Gorillas won the first match on Saturday (14-1) and carried that victory over to the second game (12-0). The team continued their winning streak by securing the third and final victory of the weekend (18-5).
Club President Drew Roy believes the team played good baseball all weekend long.
“We played very well,” Roy said. “We went into the weekend knowing that we were locked into second place in our conference… So, we went in (and) everybody played very well. We had three run roll victories. We hit the ball well… Jordan threw a five-inning complete game. We got opportunities to get other guys on the mound in the other two… it was definitely just a great weekend for baseball, for sure.”
As an entire unit, Roy believes the team played exceptionally. Many players scored doubles or hit home runs.
“We hit the baseball very well,” Roy said. “Jordan Miller and Dawson Fenix both hit home runs. Kealin Smith had two doubles. Myself and, I believe, Simon Higginbotham had doubles. I may be missing a couple but overall the guys did very well.”
Despite winning all three games in the series, there is still room for improvement and things that need to be corrected before entering the post season matches.
“Just make sure we are staying locked in which, in that situation, we lost focus in one inning (and) gave up a run that we should not have…,” Roy said.
Several players stood out to Roy during the matches for their skillful playing over the course of the weekend.
“Sam Grant had a three-hit weekend,” Roy said. “Kealin Smith, I’ve mentioned him already, had six RBIs in game three and Payton Brown was a factor in the two spot, for sure.”
This series marked the end of the regular season for club baseball. However, the club is not done yet, as they enter the post season matches.
“It is post season play,” Roy said. “It is double elimination, so we do not want to lose… We absolutely want to get a first-round win for sure.”
The team closes the season with 14 wins and eight losses overall.
There are three matches scheduled for post season play. The first two matches are scheduled for Friday, May 3. The Gorillas will be up against the Creighton Bluejays. Game two’s opponent has yet to be determined. Both games are in O’Fallon, Missouri. The last post season game is Thursday, May 16 and it is the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) Division II World Series which is in Pittsburg at Jaycee Ballpark.