The Collegio Pittsburg's student voice since 1916
Curtis Meyer reporter
It was an up and down week for the Gorillas, winning against Missouri S and T at Rolla but going 1-2 against Newman at home over the weekend. Pitt State is now 30-15 overall, and 20-10 in conference play.
The Gorillas started the week on Tuesday, facing the Missouri S and T Miners at Rolla, MO. It was a good day for the Gorillas bats, as they powered through for a 14-3 win.
“We just got to hit the ball and the pitcher just has to throw strikes, that’s what we did today, and it worked out for us,” said sophomore Karson Coffee.
S and T got on the board first with a run in the second inning, but Pitt State answered with a RBI double by junior Daegan Brady, and an RBI single by sophomore Austin Warkins in the third. Up 2-1, S and T tied in the bottom of the third.
In the fifth, the Gorillas broke the tie with an RBI double by Coffee. Juniors Cade Clemons and Jake Grauberger each hit an RBI single to give the Gorillas a 5-2 lead in the fifth. It was not till the sixth, however, that the Gorillas broke loose.
Junior Nixon Brannan got an RBI after the second basemen committed an error, allowing Brady to score. Warkins then scored on a wild pitch, followed by a 2 RBI single by junior Ryan Koval. Senior Braeden Hinton then got an RBI on a fielders choice, while sophomore Brevon Lee then hit an RBI single to make it 11-2.
Warkins then sealed it for Pitt State, hitting a 3-run homer to finish out the inning and give Pitt State a commanding 14-2 lead. Pitt State let up one run in the sixth for the final score of 14-3.
The next game did not go in the Gorillas favor, despite getting off to an early lead. Facing Newman on Friday at home, Coffee homered in the second for the first run of the game. Brannan then hit an RBI single in the fourth, followed by another homer by Coffee, this one for two runs and making it 4-0.
The Jets found their offense in a big way, scoring seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings to make it 7-4. Clemons homered in the ninth, and Brady hit a sacrifice fly to add two more runs but it was too little too late for the Gorillas, losing 7-6.
The second game was a reverse of fortunes for the Gorillas, scoring 7 runs in the first two innings enroute to a 13-1 win on Saturday. Warkins scored in the first on a wild pitch, opening the Gorillas scoring.
Grauberger scored in the second, this time by a throwing error by the catcher, followed by RBI singles by both Brady and Koval. Warkins then hit a two-run homer, making the lead 6-0. Clemons hit an RBI single to close out the inning.
Newman hit one RBI single in the third, but that was all they could muster for the rest of the game. Lee hit an RBI single in the third, sophomore Joe Hamilton hit a two RBI ground out and Koval had an RBI single in the fourth.
Coffee and Clemons each hit an RBI triple in the fifth, and Brady hit an RBI out in the sixth to close out the game. Despite this strong game, the momentum was firmly in the Jets hands on Sunday, as they held the Gorillas scoreless through seven innings, winning 11-0 and taking the series.
“We did the little things, and when we do the little things, we’re a pretty good baseball team. When we kind of go through the motions and our pitching isn’t where it needs to be, you get yourself in trouble and you play catch-up,” said head coach Bob Fornelli.
The Gorillas will host the Washburn Ichabods next week, in what will be their final three regular season games.