Gorilla Baseball Sweeps Twinbill From Cougars - KOAM TV 7

Gorilla Baseball Sweeps Twinbill From Cougars

PITTSBURG — Matt Stalcup tossed six scoreless innings before settling for a 5-1 victory in the opener and three Pitt State pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory in game two as the Gorillas swept a pair of games from Sioux Falls Monday (Feb. 27).

The Gorillas (2-0) staked Stalcup to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning of the squad's home debut and the junior lefthander made that advantage stand up.

Stalcup scattered five hits and fanned 11 batters in the contest. He breezed through the first six frames, allowing just three baserunners before running into mild trouble in the seventh thanks to his first walk of the game and a hit batter. Stalcup escaped a bases loaded, one out situation with a sacrifice fly and then a strikeout to end the game.

Ryan Reddick delivered an RBI single and Matt Garcia added a two-run double as part of Pitt State's three-run first inning. The Gorillas recorded five straight hits against USF starter Andrew Christensen.

Chase Barnes singles and later scored on a throwing error on a failed double play attempt in the fifth inning; and Evan Thomas doubled and scored on Austin Lastimado's ground-out in the sixth.

In game two, Thomas delivered a two-run double in the second inning to stake Pitt State to a 2-0 lead. He also scored the Gorillas' third run when he was hit by pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning and scored on Lastimado's sacrifice fly.

Jake Stevenson (1-0) allowed five hits in five innings of work. He walked none and struck out four batters. Jake Moore worked a one-two-three sixth inning and Caleb Gress picked up the save with a scoreless seventh for Pitt State.

Pitt State will return to action Saturday (Mar. 3) when the Gorillas open MIAA play by hosting Lincoln in a four-game series at Al Ortolani Field. Saturday's twinbill is set for 1 p.m. (CST) with a Sunday (Mar. 4) doubleheader scheduled for a 12 Noon start.