The Gene Bicknell Sports Complex will be busy later this week.
Pittsburg State’s baseball and softball teams both will be the host for Central Region sub-regionals beginning on Thursday.
The Gorillas’ baseball team (43-9) is the No. 1 seed and plays eighth-seeded Arkansas Tech (35-20) in the first game at 3 p.m. at Al Ortolani Field.
The PSU softball team (45-9) is seeded second and faces seventh-seeded Rogers State (36-19) at 2 at the PSU Softball Field.
BASEBALL
The Gorillas won both the MIAA regular-season championship – the first in school history – and the postseason tournament last week in Edmond, Okla. -- the second time in school history.
The Wonder Boys won the Great American Conference postseason tournament crown after finishing second in the regular season behind Arkansas-Monticello.
The second game on Thursday at 6 pairs fourth-seeded Northwest Missouri (36-16) against fifth-seeded Augustana (41-13).
The Bearcats finished fourth in the MIAA and lost to PSU 21-11 in the tournament semifinals.
Augustana swept the Northern Sun Conference regular season and tournament titles.
The double-elimination tournament continues with two games on Friday and Saturday. A second championship game, if necessary, will be on Sunday.
The bottom half of the bracket will be played in Claremore, Okla.
First-round games have second-seeded Rogers State vs. Missouri Southern and third-seeded Central Missouri vs. Minnesota State.
SOFTBALL
The Gorillas and Hillcats will play for the fourth time this season and second time in a week.
They split their conference doubleheader at Pittsburg State, and Rogers State prevailed 5-0 in last week’s postseason tournament quarterfinals in Emporia.
The Gorillas finished third in the MIAA standings while the Hillcats were in a three-way tie for fourth. Rogers State defeated Central Oklahoma 7-5 in the postseason tournament semifinals before falling to Missouri Southern 4-1 in the championship game.
Thursday’s second game has third-seeded Central Oklahoma vs. sixth-seeded Winona State.
The Bronchos (42-13) were second in the MIAA regular season.
Winona State (48-9) and St. Cloud State shared the Northern Sun Conference regular-season title but lost to Augustana 5-0 on a no-hitter in the conference tournament semifinal round.
Three games will be played Friday, starting with the winners’ bracket final at 11 a.m. and followed by two elimination games. The championship round is set for Saturday.
The top half of the bracket will be played at Missouri Southern.
First-round games have the top-seeded Lions vs. Augustana and fourth-seeded Southern Arkansas vs. St. Cloud State.
LOOKING AHEAD
In baseball and softball, the two sub-regional winners advance to play in a best-of-three super regional next week, which will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.
The super-regional winners advance to the World Series — May 28-June 3 in Chattanooga, Tenn., for softball and May 30-June 6 in Cary, N.C., for baseball.
