MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Pittsburg State University Gorilla baseball team completed a three-game sweep of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats on Sunday, 9-2.
 
Northwest falls to 6-9 overall and 5-7 in MIAA play.
 
Pittsburg State scored two runs in the second. The first three Gorillas reached base on a walk and a pair of singles including a bunt to third to load the bases. Bearcat starter Zach Wiese recorded a strikeout, but PSU's Adam Theis knocked a two-run single to left-center to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
 
PSU took advantage of three walks in the third to plate four runs and open up a 6-0 lead.
 
Northwest got on the board in the third. Brett Holden tallied Northwest's first hit of the game with a two-out single to left. Jacob Pinkerton followed with another single to left and Holden motored his way to third. The Bearcats executed a delayed double-steal with Pinkerton swiping second and Holden coming across for a run to cut the PSU lead to 6-1.
 
Wiese settled down in the fourth and fifth inning and got a pair of double plays to help his cause. In the fourth, he induced an inning-ending ground ball double play. In the fifth, PSU's Cruz Aranda flew out to Drew Mackie in center and Mackie doubled off the runner at first to end the inning.
 
The Bearcats looked to do some damage in the sixth with back-to-back singles from Mackie and Connor Quick to start the inning. Ryan Koski popped out to right, but Tyler Peters ripped an RBI single to right to score Mackie. The Peters hit chased PSU reliever Justin Root.
 
PSU's Bennett Scherer worked around an error and got Northwest's Peter Carlson to hit into an inning-ending double play with the Gorillas leading 6-2.
 
Northwest put two runners on in the seventh. The Bearcats could not take advantage of a single and a PSU error and the score remained 6-2 after seven.
 
Bearcat reliever Tanner Smith walked in a run in the eighth that pushed the PSU lead to 7-2. Northwest's Blaine Hanf was greeted with a two-RBI single to left by PSU's Blaine Ohlmeier, before he got Greyson Pinkett to ground out to end the eighth with the Gorillas on top, 9-2.
 
Matt Gastner and Carlson drew lead off walks to start the ninth. However, pinch hitter Trevor Dooley popped out to third, Holden flied out to center and Pinkerton popped out to shortstop to end it.
 
Northwest will return to action Wednesday with a mid-week, non-conference game at Washburn.
 
NOTES: Jacob Pinkerton and Brett Holden each tallied two-hit days … Northwest managed seven total hits … the Bearcat defense produced three double plays … starter Zach Wiese went six innings and allowed six runs (all earned) and seven hits … he struck out three.