PITTSBURG, Kan. – The University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (0-2) opened the season with plenty of offense but dropped a doubleheader to Pittsburg State (2-4), 21-11 and 13-11 in nonconference action on the road.  The two teams will battle again on Sunday with a 1 p.m. start time scheduled.

The Cougars hit .394 on the day with 26 hits in 66 trips to the plate. They had seven doubles, four home runs and a slugging percentage of .712. Senior outfielder Trevor Crow had a big day with five hits in seven at bats, including two home runs and seven RBI. Junior catcher Connor Merriam also had a solid day with five hits in eight trips to the plate. Among his hits were two home runs and five RBI. Additionally junior Rob Johnson had three hits in five at bats with a walk. However the hitting was offset by a tough day on the hill as the Cougars had a 21.89 ERA while giving up 34 runs and 31 hits in 12 and 1/3 innings.

GAME 1 - Pittsburg State 21 USF 11
The Cougars were led on offense by Rob Johnson, who had three doubles, run scored and a walk. Merriam added three hits, including two home runs, with three RBI and three runs scored. Crow did the most damage with three hits, a career-best five RBI and two runs scored. He also smacked a three-run homer. In total, USF produced 11 runs on 14 hits including seven extra base hits.   

Senior Zach Miller (0-1) took the loss as he was done in by wildness. Miller, who hit three batters and had a walk, allowed five runs on five hits in one inning of work. Reliever Chris Thompson gave up three runs including a home run. In total USF used six pitchers including Christian Lazar (2 innings, 2 runs, 2 hits, strikeout), Keenahn Coyle (Inning, run, two hits, strikeout), Mitchell Lyall (inning, run, hit, strikeout) and Cody Blackwell (inning, run, two hit, strikeout).

PSU opened up a 3-0 lead in the first and after USF cut it to 3-2, exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the second for a 12-2 lead. The Cougars rallied with 13-7 with a four run fifth inning. USF pulled within 15-11 with another four spot in the seventh but PSU had a six-run seventh to close out the win at 21-11.

Scoring breakdown

After PSU jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first, the Cougars rallied with a pair of runs in the second inning. USF, which totaled three hits in the frame, scored its initial run of the season when Connor Merriam had an RBI single to plate Trevor Crow, who had doubled with one out.  After Gunner Peterson's single, a passed ball allowed Merriam to score the second run. 

The Gorillas answered in the bottom of second with six runs, including a grand slam by first baseman Brett Macary. Dallas Reed also had a three-run home run in the inning for PSU, which took a 12-2 lead.

In the fourth inning, Merriam had his second RBI with a solo shot, which is his seventh in his career as USF cut PSU's lead to 12-3. Down 13-3, R. Johnson doubles followed by a Matthew Minnick single and 2-run triple by Josh Rehwaldt to cut deficit to 13-5. After Jarvis walked and stole second, he and Rehwaldt score on 2-run single by Crow to cut lead to 13-7.  In the seventh, Crow's three-run homer and solo bomb from Merriam cut the lead to 15-11 but that was as close as USF would get.

GAME 2 - Pittsburg State 13 USF 11 

In game two, the Cougars jumped to a six-run lead but couldn't hold off PSU's offense, which produced 13 runs on 15 hits in six innings at bat. The Cougars had double digits in hits, producing 11 runs on 12 hits. The offensive leaders were Crow with two hits, including a home run, two RBI and three runs scored. Merriam had two more hits and two more RBI. Gunner Peterson added two hits for USF.

The Cougars led 6-0 before PSU rallied with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and tied with a run in the second and two in the third inning. After PSU took a 7-6 lead in the fourth inning, the Cougars had a three-run fifth for a 9-7 advantage. The Gorillas answered with a five spot in the bottom of the fifth for a 12-9 lead. USF pushed across two in the sixth inning but were stymied in the seventh as they fell to PSU.

Zak Wallner started and took a no-decision as he worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs. He had five strikeouts but walked three hitters and had three wild pitches. Connor Oestreich worked 1/3 inning (no hits, no runs). Keenahn Coyle (0-1) took the loss after allow one hit and four runs in 2/3 of an inning. John Berroth also worked an inning of two-hit (one run) baseball. Stuart Maes closed up for USF, working an inning and allowing three hits and a run with a strikeout.

Scoring Breakdown for USF

In the first inning, R. Johnson, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored an unearned run. Matthew Minnick, who singled, scored on an RBI single by Rehwaldt. Merriam's single planted Rehwaldt. When Peterson's singled Brett Jarvis came home. Merriam scored on an RBI single by Durkin and Crow came across on an error. 

USF regained the lead with the three-spot in the fifth inning. Jarvis, who walked and advanced to third on Crow's double, scored on a wild pitch. Merriam's single plated Crow. Later, Peterson, who had singled, scored on a hit by Noah Durkin.

In the sixth inning, USF added two more runs as Crow went deep for the third time on the afternoon. The two-run shot cut the lead to 12-11.