It took 18 games, but the Gorillas baseball team has finally seen the first loss of 2026. Pitt State hosted the #15 Emporia Hornets this past weekend, winning the series 2-1, as their record for longest winning streak to start a season now sits comfortably at 17.
The Gorillas began the triple header with a game on Friday, on the road at Emporia. This would be the first loss of the season, as they fell 2-14 to the Hornets. The Gorillas actually got on the board first, but Emporia would take the lead right in the bottom of the first inning, scoring at least two points in every inning of what was just a seven-inning contest.
The Gorillas got an RBI grounder from senior Dagen Brewer for an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior Eric Bacon also had a run scoring single in the third inning. Junior Jadyn McNealey went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored both of Pitt State’s runs. Brewer saw his MIAA record 37-game hitting streak end in the contest. He went 0-for-2 with a walk in three plate appearances.
Saturday’s game would see the Gorillas bounce back in a big way, as they would win 6-2 over the Hornets. Emporia would score in the second and third innings, creating a 2-0 lead, but the Gorillas would take the lead in the third with a three-run inning and not look back.
Graduate student starter Zach Voss remained unbeaten on the season by limiting ESU to a pair of runs and five hits. He issued two walks and fanned five batters. The high-powered Pitt State offense exploded for 13 hits. McNealy and junior Landon Bruce had three hits apiece, while senior Grant Nottlemann, junior Landin Midgett, and junior Seth Dandridge each had two hits. Senior Cooper Wesslund singled home Midgett with the go-ahead run in the fourth. Redshirt junior Cason Long worked two innings of relief behind Voss and senior Cooper Crouch needed just 12 pitches to retire the Hornets in order in the ninth to lock down the win.
The final game of the weekend came on Saturday, as the Gorillas would hold on for an 11-7 victory over Emporia. Pitt State broke open a 2-2 game with three runs in the fourth inning and four more runs in the sixth frame to take an early 9-2 lead, holding off the comeback attempt late.
Redshirt senior Issac Webb doubled, homered and drove in five runs to lead the Gorillas’ 14-hit offensive attack. Bacon, Brewer and Wesslund each collected a pair of hits and scored twice. Redshirt junior Ty Blecha tossed 6.0 solid innings in his second start of the season. He limited the Hornets to two runs, and he registered five strikeouts. Crouch entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in a 9-5 game in the eighth inning. He exited the eighth frame with a 9-7 lead and retired the Hornets in the ninth to record his second save of the season.