Day one of the 2012 Henderson State University Softball Classic saw two games that differed in style, but yielded the same result as HSU fell to No. 23 Missouri Western State University, 2-1 in eight innings, and 8-6 to Delta State University on Friday afternoon at Dee White Field.

The first game of the afternoon was a prototypical pitcher's duel as the game was forced into extra innings after the teams played seven scoreless innings. At the completion of the game, the two teams combined for just three runs on six hits.

In the circle for the Lady Reddies (1-3) was junior transfer Kasey Carlock. The right-hander turned in a great outing as she worked eight complete innings. Carlock surrendered just three hits and gave up two unearned runs while striking out six. Two of her three hits given up came in the top of the second inning as Leah Steele led off the frame with a single up the middle. Steele would be pinch-ran for by Erin Widrig. The next batter, Katherine Steponovich doubled into right-center field, but was gunned down at the dish by HSU's Ashley Ray, who relayed the initial throw from right fielder Miranda Vest. Carlock would induce a popup and strikeout to get out of the inning.

As good as Carlock was, her opposition was equally as good. Jackie Bishop held the Lady Reddies to without a hit until the sixth inning. Freshman outfielder Laura Beth Ray recorded the first hit of the game as she beat out a ball hit at the third baseman. L. Ray would move into scoring position following a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Ray, but L. Ray would be stranded there as Bishop worked out of the inning.

The only runs in the game came in the eighth inning. Prior to the inning beginning, the head coaches for both teams meet with the umpires and ultimately decided to go with the softball international tie-breaker procedure, which places the last batter to record an out at second base to start the inning.

For MWSU, that placed Michelle Stevenson at second to begin the eighth. An attempted sacrifice bunt by Kim Robinson resulted in both runners being safe after an error by the Lady Reddie third baseman. Robinson would also advance to second on the throwing error. A sacrifice bunt by Kendall Sorenson plated the first run of the game and moved Robinson to third base with one out. A groundout kept Robinson at third, but she would later score the second run for the Griffons (1-1) on a fielding error at third base by the Lady Reddies. Kasey Carlock struck out the next batter to end the inning, but was charged with the two unearned runs.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Lady Reddies placed Miranda Vest on second base to begin the inning. She would then be pinch-ran for by Chelsea Rephan. A two-out singe to shortstop by Laura Beth Ray scored Rephan from third base and got the Lady Reddies to within a run, 2-1. Bishop would put the winning run on base after she hit Ashley Ray with a pitch, but Bishop would record her 13th strikeout on the following batter to end the game.

Following the tough loss, the Lady Reddies looked to rebound quickly as they hosted Delta State who had just defeated Ouachita Baptist 4-3 at OBU as HSU took on Missouri Western.

The second game of the afternoon proved early on to be a polar opposite game of what the Lady Reddies had just played as both teams' bats would come alive.

Delta started the hitting in a big way as Jordan Cole led the game off with a homerun to right field off of HSU starter and reigning Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week, Melissa Decker. Decker would get out of the inning without further damage as she stranded two base runners. Her team would pick her up in the bottom of the frame as back-to-back doubles off the bats of Amber Wilburn and Amber Klug platted the two Lady Reddie runs to give them an early 2-1 lead.

With one out in the second inning, the Lady Statesmen (2-0) would regain the lead on the power of back-to-back solo homeruns from Taylor Holland and Maggie Jackson. DSU would plate another run on a RBI single and led 4-2 through two innings of play. Three more runs in the top of the fourth inning chased Decker from the game and gave Delta a commanding 7-3 lead. They would add another insurance run in the top of the sixth.

Three runs of their own in the bottom of the six by the Lady Reddies pulled them to within two-runs, 8-6. Heather Ivey had the big hit in the inning as she doubled down the left field line to score a pair of runs. Klug would score Ivey later in the inning on a fielder's choice.

Ashleigh Allgood, who played the entire game as the designated player, entered the circle for the Lady Statesmen looking to close out the game. Allgood would give up a one-out single to Katey Gorsage, but got Hali Kizer to ground into a 6-3 double play to end the game.

Henderson State will open up action in day two of the Henderson State University Softball Classic on Saturday, February 11th against Rockhurst University. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.