Box Score GAME PHOTOSHenderson State set a Great American Conference single-game record with 17 hits as the Reddies clubbed Arkansas Tech 9-4 Thursday in the GAC Tournament.
A total of seven players had hits for the Reddies, with four players having three or more hits to lead HSU's offensive explosion.
With the win, Henderson State advances to face No. 2 seed East Central at 3 p.m. Friday for the right to play in Saturday's championship game.
Tricia Hock started things in the top of the first inning with one of her three hits, a triple to right-center field.
Amy Halter then scored Hock with an infield single to put Henderson State on top 1-0.
Sarah Gipson, who had four hits and four RBI in the game, laced a double to center-field to plate Halter. Gipson would then score on a
Taylor Daniels ground out to second base to give HSU a 3-0 lead.
Arkansas Tech, 38-20 on the season, would score two runs in the first inning and tie the game in the third at 3-3 before the Reddies would regain the lead in the fourth inning.
The Henderson fourth inning began with an
Ashlyn White single up the middle and would advance to second on a
Morgan South sacrifice bunt.
White would later score when
Caroline Cullins reached base on an ATU error.
A single by
Alicia Zack would score Cullins, sending HSU up 5-3.
The Reddies would then load the bases with one out, but ATU pitcher Sydnie Clark would get out of the jam.
Henderson State would increase its lead to 6-3 in the sixth inning, as Zack led off with a single, and later scored on an RBI single by Gipson to right field.
ATU would gain another run in the bottom of the sixth, putting together hits by Whitney Robinson and Courtney Colunga.
However, White would close the door on the Golden Suns the rest of the way from the circle.
The Reddies would provide White with some insurance runs in the seventh, as Cullins lined a one-out triple down the right-field line with Zack collecting her third hit of the game to score Cullins.
With two outs, Halter tallied her fourth hit of the game to put runners on the corners.
Gipson would then hit her second double of the game, driving in two more runs for the final 9-4 score.
Michelle Sorensen pitched the first five innings, striking out four batters and surrendering four hits to pick up the win in the circle and improve to 18-8 on the season.
White would complete the game to record the save.
In the two games on Thursday, Henderson State totaled 18 runs on 27 hits, with Halter going 7-for-8 at the plate with four runs scored. Gipson was 5-for-8 including two doubles, one home run, and six RBI.
In Gipson's four-year career, the senior from Grand Saline, Texas is 20-for-49 with 12 RBI, three doubles and two home runs in GAC Tournament play.
Halter has also excelled in the postseason going 24-for-50 for a .480 batting average.
Henderson State ties a school record for wins in a season with 39, improving to 39-11 on the year.
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