Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern baseball program will be making the short trip to Pittsburg, Kan. to kickstart MIAA action against rival Pittsburg State beginning Friday.

The Lions (9-4) and Gorillas (8-4) will meet on Friday at 3:00pm from Al Ortolani Field to begin the series before having a 2:00pm start time on Saturday and on Sunday a 12:00pm start time to end the weekend.

Coming into the weekend the Lions are hitting .320 as a team while averaging 8.8 runs and 10.8 hits per game to go with 24 home runs, as a pitching staff the Lions have a 4.84 ERA with 9.0 strikeouts per game as opponents are hitting .261 against them. Nate Mieszkowski who was named the NCBWA National Hitter of the Week leads the team with a .444 average, 17 runs scored, 24 hits, five doubles, 41 total bases and three stolen bases. Matt Miller is hitting .396 with six home runs and 17 RBIs while slugging .833, Garrett Rice is hitting .370 with 17 runs scored from 20 hits has four home runs, 14 RBIs and has a .667 slugging percentage. Henry Kusiack (.340) and Tyler Ferguson (.302) round out the Lions hitting above .300 and having at least two plate appearances per game this season. Cole Woods (3.52) and Cale McCallister are 2-0 this season with Woods having a team-high 15.1 innings of work and 20 strikeouts while McCallister has 11.0 innings of work, one walk issued and nine strikeouts. Owen Schneider (3.86) and Trent Harris (5.11) have started three games with Schnedier having 14.0 innings of work, 16 strikeouts and opponents hitting .235 against her and Harris throwing 12.1 innings with 13 strikeouts. Laif Hultine leads the bullpen with six appearances while striking out five and walking none as opponents are hitting .182 against him. Kyle Moore leads the bullpen with 10.2 innings of work and 13 strikeouts while opponents hit .237 against him. 

Coming into the weekend the Gorillas are hitting .308 as a team while averaging 8.6 runs and 10.0 hits per game, as a pitching staff the Gorillas have a 6.89 ERA with 8.6 strikeouts per game as opponents are hitting .270 against them. Cade Clemons leads the team with a .394 average while having a .636 slugging percentage and having eight RBIs. Nixon Brannan is hitting .356 while having a team-high four home runs, 18 RBIs, .689 slugging percentage and 31 total bases. Austin Warkins (.345), Daegan Brady (.345) and Brevon Lee (.310) rounds out the lineup hitting above .300 this season. On the mound Zac Shoemaker is leading the team with a 0.75 ERA from three starts, 2-0 record, 12.0 innings, 19 strikeouts and one walk issued while opponents are hitting .077.  Cason Long and Ben Des Rosiers are the other weekend starters with Long (5.79) pitching 9.1 innings with 13 strikeouts and 11 walks as opponents are hitting .300 against him and for Des Roseiers (6.08) has pitched 13.1 innings with 16 strikeouts to three walks as opponents are hitting .273 against him. Andrew Wisner, Paul Panduro, Harold Baez, Parker Tennhill and Dawson Pomeroy have featured four times out of the bullpen with Tennhill lasting 9.0 innings, Wisner posting a 2.25 ERA and opponents hitting .133 against him while Panduro has 11 strikeouts to lead the group of most used relievers.