April 2, 2008

Gorillas Salvage Split in MIAA Opener vs. Lions
Horky Reaches 500-Win Milestone in Dramatic 7-4 Win in Nightcap

    JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Pittsburg State University softball team scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally for a 7-4 victory to salvage a split against Missouri Southern State University Wednesday (Apr. 2) at Gene Wild Field. The Lions claimed a 6-4 win in the opener.
    The dramatic victory allowed PSU head coach Brad Horky to register his 500th career coaching victory against the Gorillas’ MIAA rival.
    Lindsay Birchfield scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a wild pitch and Tiffany Swanson added a two-run single to give Pitt State (13-19, 1-1 MIAA) some breathing room against Southern (5-19, 2-4 MIAA).
    Swanson (9-5) worked around a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh – thanks to a timely double play – to help the Gorillas snap a six-game losing streak.
    In the opener, the Lions scored six times in the decisive fifth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit.
    The Gorillas countered with a three-run home run by Haley Deaton in the sixth inning, but Pitt State couldn’t complete the comeback bid. Maria Bernal and Lori Lockhart each singled with two outs in the seventh, but Tamika Barnes got Swanson to pop out to end the game.
    With the win in the nightcap, Horky improved to 500-315-1 in 16 seasons as a head coach. He has compiled a 235-153 record in eight years (and two stints) as the Gorillas head coach (1991-95, 2006-08). His coaching resume includes an NAIA National Championship in 1987 at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.