Henderson State returns to Houston, Texas for the third straight year as the Reddies face Central Missouri, Friday in the first game of the Houston Astros Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.
 
First pitch between the Reddies and the Mules is set for 6 p.m. Henderson will play No. 12 ranked St. Mary's on Saturday at 10 a.m. and finish the weekend with a 2 p.m. meeting against Tarleton State Sunday.
 
Henderson has a 4-4 record all-time in the event including an impressive showing last year as the Reddies went 4-0 including wins over three nationally ranked opponents.
 
In last year's Invitational, the Reddies posted a .356 team batting average while Henderson pitchers had a 1.50 ERA limiting opponents to just .172 hitting.
 
Henderson opened with an 8-3 win over Central Missouri, followed by an 8-3 victory over Arkansas Tech. The Reddies then posted back-to-back shutout wins over Winona State 5-0 and Tarleton State 8-0.
 
Henderson enters the weekend at 1-2 after a three-game season-opening series against Tarleton State last weekend.
 
The Reddies hit .280 last weekend against the Texans with Tadarious Hawkins, AJ Kruzel and Jordan Taylor leading the team with four hits each.
 
Chris Hunt will start Friday's game on the mound for the Reddies. The junior from Greenwood, Ark. made 14 pitching starts and compiled a 6-4 record a year ago.
 
Hunt led the team with a 3.12 ERA and recorded 45 strikeouts in 89.1 innings of work. A honorable mention All-GAC selection, Hunt pitched 7.0 innings and struck out four batters in a 4-2 win against Emporia State at the NCAA Central Regional.
 
Hunt opened the year last Friday against Tarleton State pitching 5 1/3 innings, striking out six batters.

Central Missouri is receiving votes in the ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll. The Mules were picked to finish third in the MIAA's Preseason Coaches' poll.

The Mules return 25 letterwinners and five position starters from the 2015 squad that finished 30-22 overall and finished in third place in the MIAA with a 23-13 league mark.

UCM returns six All-MIAA players including Friday's projected starting pitcher Tyler House. House led the staff in strikeouts with 67 in 67.2 innings pitched. He compiled a 4-2 mark with a 3.33 ERA in 12 starts.

First baseman Bennett Oliver is one of the top offensive performers for UCM. The All-MIAA selection a year ago, Oliver hit .320 with a team-leading six home runs and 34 RBI.

Also returning to the lineup is outfielder Derek Cornell who compiled a .304 last season and led the team with 39 RBI.

The Mules hold a 17-3 all-time series lead with Henderson State. The Reddies beat the Mules 8-3 in the season-opener last year in Houston.

Live stats for all three games will be available on the HSU Athletics website at www.hsusports.com.