The Golden Eagles fall to 1-2 on the season. Pittsburg State moves to 4-6 with Sunday's victory.
Pittsburg State wasted no time getting on the board, scoring a run in the bottom of the first on a Tyson Cushman RBI single, putting the Gorillas up 1-0.
The Golden Eagles would answer in the top half of the second on a
Scott Finberg (Sr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.) solo homerun, his first of the season.
Once again, it was a Cushman single that put the Gorillas back on top, with another RBI single, putting the Gorillas up 2-1.
The Golden Eagles were held in-check for much of the game, leaving runners on the base paths in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Pitt State would score their first run since the second inning, adding an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, after a single from Mason Hartman, extending the lead to 3-1. Pitt State would add another run to head into the top half of the ninth with a 4-1 lead.
The Golden Eagles wouldn't go away quietly in the top of the ninth.
Brad Morris (Jr., OF Aukland, New Zealand) brought in Finberg on an RBI groundout. One batter later,
Jake Hjelle (Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) hit his first career homerun to bring the Golden Eagles within one, 4-3.
T.J. Hokanson (R-Jr., 3B/OF, Chanhassen, Minn.) followed up the Hjelle homerun with a single, which was then followed by a
Will Zimmerman (Sr., SS, Park River, N.D.) walk, putting the tying run at second. The Golden Eagles weren't able to get the tying run to cross home, falling to the Gorillas, 4-3.
The Golden Eagles had six hits on the day, led by Finberg's two. Morris, Hjelle, Hokanson and
Mason Ruhlman (Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) each had a hit on the day. The Golden Eagles left eight runners on base.
In his first career start,
Ben Thoma (Jr., C/P, Clearbrook, Minn.) had a solid outing. Thoma gave up seven hits, while striking out five, walking one in 4.0 innings pitched.
Matt Nelson (So., RHP, Afton, Minn.) and
Tyler Hegg (So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.) came in on relief, combining for just one hit, while striking out four in 2.2 innings of work.
The Golden Eagles are back in action next Monday from the Sunshine State, as they take on Point Park University in a doubleheader in Winter Haven, Fla. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
