Box Score Playing in its first conference title game since becoming a member of the NCAA, Henderson State came up short as Southern Arkansas beat the Reddies 6-3 in the Great American Conference championship game in Enid, Okla.
The Reddies, 27-19 on the season, fell behind early in the second inning as SAU's Trevor Rucker hit a solo home run to left field.
HSU answered in the top of the third inning as
Andrew Reynolds led off the frame with a double down the left-field line.
After advancing to third on a
Carlos Rodriguez ground-out to second base, Reynolds scored when
Hunter Mayall grounded out to tie the game at 1-1.
SAU regained the lead in the fourth inning, scoring two runs on RBI singles by Colton Rademacher and Cody Quinn.
The Reddies got a run back in the fifth on a RBI single by Mayall that scored
Conner Brackhahn, who walked earlier in the inning.
SAU would score three runs in the fifth inning when B. Reichstein hit a two-out three-run double to make the score 6-2.
Henderson State would tack on a run in the seventh as
Carlos Rodriguez and Mayall both singled with one out.
Claude Johnson then grounded into fielder's choice which would plate Rodriguez.
Relief pitcher
Josh Henderson shut out the Muleriders the rest of the way, but the Reddies would not score in the final two innings.
The Reddies would end the game with eight hits, as Mayall led the way going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Starting pitcher
Colton Lorance would be tabbed with the loss, pitching 3.1 innings, allowing five hits and three runs scored to fall to 5-4 on the season.
Henderson State finishes as the GAC Tournament runners-up, collecting its first trophy of any kind in baseball since joining the NCAA in 1993.
Four Reddies were named to the All-GAC Tournament Team, including Mayall, Rodriguez, Johnson, and
Tadarious Hawkins.
Mayall finished the tournament 7-for-15 with two doubles and three RBI. He also walked eight times and had an on-base percentage of .667.
Rodriguez was 6-for-17 with five runs scored, two home runs, and four RBI.
Johnson was 9-for-24 with a double, a home run, and three RBI.
Hawkins finished 8-for-20 with four runs scored, a triple, home run, and four stolen bases.
HSU, ranked No. 6 in the latest NCAA Central Region Rankings, will find out Sunday at 9 p.m. on an at-large berth for the NCAA postseason.
The top six teams in the region advance to regionals with tournament champions from the Great American Conference, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association receiving automatic bids.
Southern Arkansas was fifth in the latest rankings, while NSIC members St. Cloud State and Minnesota State ranked first and second.
MIAA members Emporia State and Missouri Southern are third and fourth.
If St. Cloud State or Minnesota State win the NSIC title, and Emporia State or Missouri Southern win the MIAA championship, the Reddies would be in line for an at-large bid at No. 6.
