NCAA REGION GAME NOTES

NCAA REGION TOURNAMENT HOME PAGE

It has been a season of firsts for the Henderson State baseball team.
 
The Reddies played in their first conference tournament championship game since becoming a NCAA Division II member in 1993.
 
On Thursday, Henderson State will experience another first as the Reddies plays their first-ever NCAA postseason game in baseball.
 
The Reddies earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Central Region in St. Cloud, Minn. after finishing as the Great American Conference Tournament runners-up.
 
Henderson State enters the postseason tournament as the No. 6 seed and will face No. 1 seed and host St. Cloud State on Thursday with the first pitch set for 7 p.m.
 
The NCAA Central Region includes Minnesota State, Emporia State, Missouri Southern, and Southern Arkansas along with the Reddies and the Huskies.
         
The Reddie offense enters the tournament with a .289 team batting average and averages 5.5 runs per game.
 
Jordan Taylor leads the team offensively with a .363 average which includes 10 doubles and 28 RBI. Taylor hit for a .391 average during conference play.
 
The sophomore from Bryant, Ark. has compiled 18 multiple hit games and enters the tournament having reached base safely in 23 straight games.
 
Claude Johnson follows Taylor and is the power-hitter for the Reddies. The senior from Pine Bluff has a .354 average with a team best 12 doubles, 9 home runs and 37 RBI.
 
Johnson has totaled 18 multiple hit games and had a 14 game hitting streak earlier this season. He has reached base safely in 29 straight games entering the NCAA Tournament.
 
Also hitting above .300 is Hunter Mayall who sports a .329 average with nine doubles and 23 RBI. The junior first baseman has also reached base in 29 straight games.

The Henderson State pitching rotation includes Colton Lorance in the opener followed by Chris Hunt, and Cody Jones.
 
Lorance has a 5-4 record with a 3.75 ERA this season. Jones has won four of his last five starts including an 11-2 victory over Harding in the opening round of the GAC Tournament. The senior from Texarkana, Texas has limited opponents to a .236 batting average.
 
Hunt enters the NCAA Tournament with a 5-3 record and a 2.99 ERA. The sophomore from Greenwood, Ark. has struck out 38 batters in 75.1 innings of work while limiting the opposition to a .230 average.
 
Jones has been Henderson's game three starter and has a 5-3 record on the year including a 4-2 record against GAC opponents.     
The senior from Phoenix, Ariz. leads the Reddies in strikeouts having fanned 51 batters in 58.0 innings.        

Nick Vanthillo is Henderson's closer having a 5-1 record with 11 saves on the year. Vanthillo has a 1.73 ERA and has struck out 35 batters in 36.1 innings.
 
The NCAA Central Region may be considered the toughest region as four of the six teams are ranked in this week's Collegiate Baseball Top 30 poll with Emporia State just outside the top 30 at No. 31.

St. Cloud State has the best record in NCAA Division II baseball with a 50-3 record and is ranked No. 1 nationally in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. The Huskies have won 21 straight games entering NCAA Region play.
 
SCSU is second nationally offensively with a .363 average and sixth in ERA at 2.78.          
Kyle Lieser leads the squad with a .422 average which includes 29 RBI. Michael Jurgella follows hitting .421 with 16 doubles, 14 home runs and 67 RBI.
 
The pitching staff is also impressive with a team 2.76 ERA. Sheldon Miks is 10-0 on the year with a 0.92 ERA, while Reese Gregory has an 11-0 mark and a 1.78 ERA. Gregory has fanned 86 batters in 70.2 innings.
 
THE REST OF THE FIELD
• NO. 2 MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS • 41-7
Minnesota State leads the nation offensively with a .364 team average with the Maverick pitching staff having a 3.92 ERA.   

Max Waletich is hitting .444 for MSU which ranks ninth in the NCAA while having a team best 52 RBI. Nolan Johnson follows at .399 having 22 doubles with 41 RBI.

Dalton Roach leads the pitching staff with a 2.08 ERA and a 5-1 record, while Brody Rodning is a perfect 8-0 with a 2.98 ERA.
 
• NO. 3 EMPORIA STATE HORNETS • 39-14       
The Hornets have one of the most powerful offenses in the nation with the team having 124 doubles and 77 home runs for a .550 team slugging percentage.   

Dean Long hits for a .363 average and ranks seventh nationally in home runs with 23 and third in runs batted in with 80. Justin Harris leads the team with a .426 average which includes 25 doubles.
         
The pitching staff has a 5.60 ERA with Travis Hendry leading the way with a 9-1 record and a 3.97 ERA.
 
• NO. 4 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERIDERS • 39-16      
The Muleriders will make their eighth straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
 
SAU has a team batting average of .302 led by Chris Quinn who is hitting .342 with 10 doubles. All-GAC pick Billy Germaine follows with a .33 average which includes a team-best 15 doubles and 11 home runs.      

The SAU pitching staff has a 3.61 ERA with Landon Simpson leading the way having a 9-4 record and a 2.69 ERA. Preston Gray follows with a 7-4 record and a 4.28 ERA.
 
• NO. 5 MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE LIONS • 40-12
MSSU is a team that has banged out 56 home runs and has a .324 team average to go along with a .499 slugging percentage.

Chris Hoffman leads the Lions with a .431 batting average which ranks 20th nationally. Hoffman has 15 doubles and 8 home runs. Jesse Rall has provided most of the power for the Lions with 12 doubles, 16 home runs and 60 RBI. Rall is hitting .387 with a .767 slugging percentage.

Cody Hutchinson leads the Lion pitchers with a 10-0 record and 2.99 ERA.
 
Fans can watch the NCAA Central Region Tournament through video streaming courtesy of St. Cloud State. Links to live audio and video streaming as well as Live Stats are available on the Henderson State Athletics web site at www.hsusports.com.