PITTSBURG, Kan. —Northeastern State's upset bid came up just short Friday as No. 2 Pittsburg State used a walk-off single to secure a 5-4 win in MIAA softball action.

The Gorillas (40-2, 12-1 MIAA) jumped out early, scoring twice in the first inning before adding a solo home run in the third to take a 3-0 lead.

Northeastern State (26-18, 11-10 MIAA) answered with a big fifth inning, accounting for all four of its runs. Halle Hance started the rally with a two-run home run to right field. Jersey Retzloff followed by tying the game with a solo shot to left, and Mattison Hamilton later gave the RiverHawks a brief 4-3 lead with an RBI single down the line.

Pittsburg State responded in the bottom half of the inning to even the score, then used a leadoff double in the seventh to set up the game-winning hit and avoid the upset.

The RiverHawks finished with six hits, led by Hamilton's two-hit performance.

Jensyn Elder (10-8) was charged with the loss in the circle for Northeastern State.