Box Score  

Henderson State banged out 13 hits and got a great pitching performance by Colton Lorance as the Reddies upset No. 22 Central Missouri 8-3, in the opening round of the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.

The Reddies turned the tables on UCM in the season-opener as the Mules beat Henderson State 13-0 a year ago in Houston.

Central Missouri, the winningest NCAA Division II program since 2000, managed just three hits off of Reddie pitching.

Henderson State, 1-0 on the season, picked up only its third win in the all-time series against the Mules as UCM entered the game leading the series 17-2.

Henderson State didn't wait long to get on the board as the Reddies jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first-inning.

Hunter Mayall led off the game for the Reddies with a single to left field with Claude Johnson following with a double down the left field line to advance Mayall to third.

Henderson plated its first run when Jordan Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Mayall.

Hayden Lessenberry provided the second run as the sophomore from Bryant, Ark. singled up the middle to score Johnson.

Henderson State put together three straight hits in the fourth-inning to increase its lead to 3-0.

With two outs, Tadarious Hawkins singled to right field, followed by a base-hit by Matt Evans. Mayall then clubbed his second hit of the game to score Hawkins.

Mayall again was responsible for another Reddie run in the sixth to make the score 4-0.

Conner Brackhahn led off the frame with a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error and a ground out before Mayall singled to right field to score Brackhahn.

After UCM managed to scratch for a run in the bottom of the sixth, Henderson broke the game open with four runs in the top of the seventh-inning to increase the lead to 8-1.

Taylor reached on a walk to lead off the inning then advanced to second when Lessenberry laced a single down the left field line.

Taylor then scored on a sacrifice bunt by AJ Kruzel which was mishandled by UCM. Henderson's sixth run came when pinch-runner Alex Morgan advanced home on a wild pitch.

Brackhahn then drove in Kruzel with a single to right field before the Reddies again loaded the bases with Matt Evans providing a sacrifice fly for the final run of the inning.  

UCM did manage to score a pair of runs in the eighth, but reliever Jay Hawley pitched the final three innings allowing two hits, while striking out a pair to record the save.

Lorance provided a masterful pitching performance allowing just one run on one hit in six innings of work. The senior from Texarkana, Texas struck out four batters to pick up the win.

Mayall ended the game going 3-fo-4 at the plate with a pair of runs batted in, while Lessenberry, Brackhahn and Evans each had two hits. Every Reddie starter scored or had a run batted in.

Henderson State will take on another nationally-ranked opponent on day two of the tournament as the Reddies face No. 17 Arkansas Tech on Friday with the first-pitch set for 10 a.m.