The Henderson State softball team took on Ouachita Baptist in a Great American Conference double-header at Dee White Field on Tuesday night, falling 5-2 and 8-7, respectively.
In the first game of the evening, Ouachita got on the board first in the top of the second inning when Gabby Gonzales hit a two RBI single to center field scoring Macy Nantz and Daniella Brantley.
The Lady Tigers tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth, and one in the seventh to take a 5-0 lead over HSU heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
HSU attempted a comeback, scoring two runs in the inning as
Ashlyn White paved the way for the first run with a single to center field, allowing
Destiny Garza to reach home from third.
After loading the bases, an
Alexia Lopez walk scored
Caroline Cullins from third with two outs and made the score 5-2, but the Reddies would leave three runners stranded as Ouachita escaped with the victory.
Nantz picked up the victory for Ouachita to improve to 5-8 on the season, while
Michelle Sorensen suffered the defeat for HSU.
The second game came down to the final inning, as Ouachita used a two-run seventh inning to inch past the Reddies.
HSU would get on the board first in game two, as
Keirsten Seahorn blasted a single to left-center field which scored White from third base.
The Lady Tigers answered, however, with a six-run second inning that featured three singles and a double to put OBU on top 6-1.
In the bottom of the second inning, HSU responded with three runs of its own, highlighted by an
Olivia Trapp home-run over the right field wall to start things off.
Courtney Warren would then double to left field, allowing
Morgan South to plate and
Ashleigh Erb to advance to third.
In the Reddies' next at-bat, Cullins doubled to center field which scored Erb from third.
A scoreless third inning was followed by an Erb solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to pull HSU within one and make the score 6-5 in favor of Ouachita.
The Reddies would then tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth when Trapp doubled to center field to score a pinch-running
Alexis Morton.
After holding OBU scoreless for four straight innings, HSU reclaimed possession of the lead when Cullins doubled to right-center field allowing
Courtney Warren to advance home and the Reddies to take a 7-6 lead heading into the seventh inning.
However, Ouachita would respond as Gonzales smashed a two-out single to right field that scored both Brantley and Chelsea Wilson to give Ouachita the 8-7 edge.
HSU was unable to bounce back in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Ouachita's Kelsey O'Brien retired three straight Reddie batters to preserve the victory for OBU.
O'Brien picked up the victory for Ouachita, while Sorensen was credited with the loss for HSU, falling to 11-10 on the season.
HSU finished the contest belting out 13 hits, while Ouachita had eight.
Cullins led all HSU players with three hits in game two, while Lopez, Trapp, and Warren all contributed two.
The Reddies will look to rebound on Friday, as they begin a four-game GAC home series with Southwestern Oklahoma.
HSU and SWOSU will play in a double-header beginning at 4 p.m. at Dee White Field, while Saturday's double-header begins at 1 p.m.
