Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Pittsburg State Gorillas hit five doubles and used a balanced attack to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 10-6, Thursday night in Kansas.

This was the opener of a three-game set. The series began a day early due to the Easter Holiday.

Picking up its sixth home win of the season, Pitt (15-22, 9-14) scored three runs in both the second and sixth innings. Five different players had a multi-hit game, including leadoff hitter Dallas Reed (3 for 5, two runs & three RBI's) and designated hitter Ethan Schlesener (2 for 3, one run).

Reed, coming in with a team-high .390 batting average, had two doubles with the Gorillas also racking up nine singles. Down 5-4 after 3.5 innings, Pitt scored once in the bottom of the fourth and then tallied five runs over the sixth and seventh innings to take control.  

Hometown product Dante Richardson got the start and allowed five earned on five hits and four walks. Junior lefty Cooper Gardner (5-1) limited the Lopers over the final 5.1 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk. He and Richardson combined for seven K's.

For the third straight game, UNK saw junior Josh Estrada (Houston) go deep. Batting cleanup and serving as the DH, he hit his third homer of the year, a two-run shot, to start the scoring in the third.

Also at the plate, senior third baseman Brent Kirsch (Papillion) hit a solo homer in the eighth with junior catcher Dallas Schramm (Millard North) having a two-run double in the fourth. Finally, on the mound, Iowa junior Clay Collison allowed no earned runs over the final 2.0 innings.

The series resumes, weather permitting, Friday at 3:00 p.m.