HOUSTON WINTER BASEBALL INVITATIONAL INFORMATION

LIVE STATS

Henderson State will begin the 2014 baseball season this weekend participating in the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.
The four day event begins on Saturday with the Reddies facing Winona State at 2 p.m.

Henderson will then take on 14^th-ranked Central Missouri on Sunday at 2 p.m. before facing Arkansas Tech on Monday at 6 p.m. and closing out the tournament on Tuesday against Arkansas-Monticello with a 2 p.m. first pitch.

Tickets for the event are $10 per day for adults and $6 for students. Children ages 4-14 are admitted for $5.

For more information and Live Stats for each game, fans can logo on to the Henderson State Athletic web site at www.hsusports.com
This year's version of the Reddies includes four starters from last year's team including all-conference pitcher Jordan Wright and outfielder Tadarious Hawkins.

A total of 10 players return from a team that finished fourth in the Great American Conference a year ago having a 24-27 overall record and a 17-13 mark in league play.

"We only have two seniors this year, but we brought in some very talented players," said Coach Cody Hooten who is in his fourth season as the Reddie skipper. "We had a great fall and I have been pleased with the preseason workouts. There are still several things we need to work on, but all-around I feel that we have the potential to be much better than last season."

Pitching will key for the Reddies this season. Henderson only returns 46 innings of experience and all those innings come from senior Jordan Wright. 
Wright was one of the top relievers in the GAC last season having a record 10 saves along with a 4-2 record. The right-hander posted a 1.76 earned run average and struck out 53 batters.

The native from Texarkana, Texas will begin the season as a starter and will open the weekend against Winona State.

"Jordan has great velocity and movement," said Hooten. "Since we lost our entire rotation, we wanted to see how he does as a starter. We may move him back into the closer role, depending on how some of our younger pitchers develop."

Newcomer Jon Luthe will step into the starting rotation and is expected to make a big impact.

The senior from Searcy, Ark. transferred from Arkansas State where he saw limited action. The 6-3, 205-pound Luthe also played at Northeast Texas Community College where he posted a 4.32 ERA while striking out 45 batters in 43 innings of work.

A product of Searcy High School, Luthe was 9-0 with a 1.68 ERA his senior season.

Luthe will get the starting nod against Central Missouri on Sunday.

Freshmen Jay Hawley and Dylan Howell will also be in the rotation with Hawley having the edge and getting his first collegiate start on Monday against Arkansas Tech.

The right-hander from Queen City, Texas lettered three years at Queen City High School where he was an all-district selection having posted a 1.72 ERA in 61 innings of work while striking out 80 batters.

Hawley also will see time in the infield for the Reddies. The team's defensive MVP his senior year at shortstop, Hawley hit .337 with 23 runs batted in while collecting 8 doubles and having a .453 on base percentage.

Howell will be used in middle relief this weekend and should move into the rotation later this season. Howell lettered three years at North Little Rock High School and had a 9-2 record with a 2.12 ERA his senior year.

"Both Hawley and Howell are very mature players that can fill up the strike zone and mix pitches well," said Hooten.
Colton Lorance is scheduled to start on Tuesday against Arkansas-Monticello.

The transfer from Pratt Community College will work both either as a starter or as a key reliever on conference weekends.

The left-hander was a three-year letterman at Redwater High School where he was a two-time all-district selection and the 2010 District 12-2A MVP. In his final season at Redwater, the Texarkana, Texas product had a 7-0 record with a 2.09 ERA.

"Colton comes right at you and has great stuff from the left side," said Hooten.

Key guys in the bullpen include Nick Vanthillo, Rob Thomas, Luke Tebbetts, Chris Hunt and Steven Brooks.

Andrew Reynolds returns as Henderson's starting catcher. The junior from Cabot, Ark. hit for a .279 average last season.

"Andrew is a guy that has really developed over the last three years in all phases of his game," Hooten said.

 Also seeing time will be Will Powell and Lance Fields. Powell played in 16 games last season and hit for a .281 average, while Fields transfers from Mineral Area
College where he had a .310 average.

Hunter Mayall and Powell will likely platoon at first base.

Mayall redshirted last season. A two-time all-conference selection at Bryant High School, he helped lead his team to consecutive conference championships and a state championship his junior year.

AJ Kruzel will be the starter at second base. Drafted last year in the 37^th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, Kruzel attended Northern Kentucky University where he had a.340 batting average earning him first team all-conference honors.

Matt Evans will also see time at the position. Evans played in 45 games last year for the Reddies and had a .246 average. The sophomore from Cabot stole 11 bases and committed just eight errors in 120 chances.

One of the biggest competitions early in the season will be seeing who takes the job as Henderson's starting shortstop.

Jesse Grace and Jared Aschbrenner will rotate in this weekend, with Cory Deere and Evans likely getting work at the position.
Grace transfers from Kansas City Community College where he hit .292 while having a .433 on base percentage. In 22 games played, Grace did not commit an error.

Aschbrenner lettered four years at Beebe High School where he was a four-time all-conference selection, while Deere transfers from Three Rivers Community College after hitting .316.

At third base will be Carlos Rodriguez. Rodriguez is one of a few guys that saw prominent playing time last year. Last season the junior from Brownsville, Texas hit for a .276 average while having 10 doubles.

"Carlos has really developed into a solid hitter and a better defensive player during the fall," said Hooten. "I look forward to seeing what he does this spring and I feel that it could be a big year for him."

Fields, Ashton Roberts and Joseph Gary will battle it out early for the primary starting job in left field.

Roberts spent the past two seasons at Crowder College where he hit for a .380 average. Roberts was part of a Benton High School team that claimed the Arkansas State Championship in 2009.

Gary transfers from Mountain View College where he hit for a .364 average.

Tadarious Hawkins will move over to centerfield this year. The sophomore from Commerce, Texas was overlooked by the league's coach for Freshman of the Year honors last season after hitting .316 with 18 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Henderson's leadoff hitter, Hooten feels that Hawkins has developed into one of the top defensive outfielders in the country.

Returning to right field will be Conner Brackhahn. Brackhahn will be back in the lineup after sitting out last season due to back surgery. 
Two years ago, the Sulphur Springs, Texas native hit for a .305 average with 13 doubles.

"It is great to have Connor back," said Hooten. "He adds so much to this team and will be a force at the top of our lineup."

Several players will work in at designated hitter including Lee Richardson and Andy Kovarik.

Richardson has been dealing with some back issues, but will get the starting nod to begin the season.
Richardson attended Itawamba Junior College and the University of Arkansas. At Itawamba, he had a .320 batting average and eight RBIs.

Kovarik comes to Henderson from Elgin Community College where he hit for a .284 batting average including 10 doubles and 16 RBI.

"I really like the team we have assembled this year," said Hooten. "The first two weeks will give us plenty to look at before we begin conference play. There are a lot of young players, but there is a lot of potential."

Following the four-game set in Houston, the Reddies come back to campus for their home opening weekend against Arkansas-Fort Smith beginning with a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 8 with the first pitch slated for Noon at Clyde Berry Field.