For the second consecutive year, Henderson State beat Central Missouri to open the Houston Astros Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.

The Reddies benefitted from 14 walks and used five timely hits to beat the Mules 6-5 Friday night.  

Henderson beat UCM 8-0 last year to begin the annual event. The Reddies have now won five straight in Houston dating back to last year.

Reddies loaded the bases with no outs in the opening inning as Hunter Mayall led off with a double down the right field line followed by back-to-back walks given to Jared Gage and Jordan Taylor.

UCM pitcher Lucas Williams was able to get out of the jam by striking out the next two Reddie hitters and getting AJ Kruzel to fly out to left field to end the inning.

The Mules would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning as Derek Cornell belted a triple to the right-center power alley and then score on a ground out by Matt Elliott.

The Reddies would continue to get runners on base and would score two runs in the third-inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Mayall would lead off the inning with a hard-hit ball that was bobbled by the UCM second baseman.

Following a walk issued to Gage, Jordan Taylor doubled to left-center field to score Mayall. Gage would score when Hayden Lessenberry grounded out to short.

The Reddies would tack on another run in the fourth-inning as Henderson State took advantage of four walks in the inning with
Taylor forcing home Jake Gaul who led off the inning with a free pass.

However, Henderson would not plate another run in the innings and for the second time left the bases loaded.
In the top half of the seventh, Tadarious Hawkins led off the inning reaching on the 10^th walk given up by UCM pitching. Hawkins would advance to second on a balk and then steal third.

After Kruzel walked, Jake Gaul grounded into a double-play that allowed Hawkins to score and increase Henderson's lead to 4-1.

In the UCM seventh, the Mules got on the board as Bennett Oliver hit a solo home run to right field to make the score 4-2.

After Oliver's home run, Cole Distler reached on a walk and then HSU starting pitcher Chris Hunt retired the next two batters. Hunt got ahead of Blake Wilfong in the count, but Wilfong took Hunt's 1-and-2 offering over the right field wall to tie the score.

Hunt would pitch 6 2/3 innings, giving up five hits and striking out seven batters.

Alan Hall would lead off the Reddie eighth reaching on a walk and advancing to second on a Mayall single to centerfield.

Central Missouri looked like they would get out of the inning as Jordan Taylor hit a ground ball to sJhort forcing Mayall out at second. The relay to first in attempt to get a double-play misplayed and Hall aggressively scored from second to give HSU a 5-4 advantage.

The Reddies, however, weren't finished as Joseph Gary walked and Hawkins delivered a two-out single to right which scored Taylor.

Nick Vanthillo would pitch the final two innings for the Reddies to pick up his first save of the season. Taylor, who faced one batter in the seventh, would get the win.

Henderson will next play No. 12 St. Mary's on Saturday at 10 a.m.