GAME ONE:
Henderson State used five runs in the fifth inning to break open the game and run-rule Northwestern Oklahoma State 8-0 in the first game of Monday's doubleheader.

The Reddies got on the board first in the second inning, when Brooklynn Jimeson knocked a bases loaded-double off of the fence in right centerfield to score Lakin Wolever and Alexis Morton, making it 2-0.

Henderson tacked on another run in the third when Keirsten Seahorn scored on a NWOSU error to extend the lead to 3-0. The Lady Rangers threatened in the fourth, but stranded runners on the corners; missing an opportunity to cut into the deficit.

In the bottom of the fifth, HSU broke the game open. Things started when Jimeson, Alyssa Dixon and Bethany Allen all reached to start the inning, loading the bases up for Olivia Trapp with no outs. Trapp took advantage, and smoked a double into the gap in right-center which scored all three baserunners and pushed Henderson's lead out to 6-0. 

NWOSU finally recorded the first out after the three-run double, but the Reddies were far from done, as the next batter, Selena Mendoza, singled to left to score Trapp, and Morton was subsequently walked, giving HSU runners on first and second with a 7-0 lead. Needing just one more run to secure the run-rule victory, Henderson pinch ran Michelle Sorensen for Mendoza at second and Ashleigh Erb made sure she scored easily, knocking a double deep into deep centerfield to secure the win for the Reddies, 8-0 in five innings.

Sydney Bonner was marvelous for Henderson in the circle in the morning game, picking up her fifth victory of the year by going five innings and allowing no runs on just four hits. Jimeson had a strong day at the plate for HSU, securing two hits, two RBIs and scoring a run, while Trapp picked up 3 RBIs on her double in the fifth.

GAME TWO:
Pitcher Michelle Sorensen kept Northwestern Oklahoma State scoreless for the second time this series and Selena Mendoza hit a solo homerun in the fourth which proved to be the difference, as Henderson State defeated NWOSU 1-0 to sweep Monday's doubleheader and win the final home series of the season, 3-1.

For the game's first three innings, neither team could get much of anything going. Henderson had an opportunity in the bottom of third, moving runners to second and third with two outs, but could not scratch a run.

In the fourth inning, the Reddies finally broke through, as Mendoza got a hold of an offering from Lady Ranger pitcher Karley Murray and hammered it well over the fence in left field to give HSU a 1-0 advantage. 

NWOSU tried to answer in the fifth, and got runners to first and second with two outs, but Sorensen got pinch hitter Alexus Bailey to strike out looking to end the threat. From there, the Lady Rangers went quietly, as Sorensen sat the next six batters down in order to close things out for Henderson 1-0 and give the Reddies the series victory.

Sorensen picked up her second win of the series, and 15th of the season, by going seven innings and allowing no runs on four hits while striking out six. In her two starts this series, she limited the Lady Rangers to no runs on four total hits and struck out 13 batters.

HSU out-hit NWOSU 5-4, with Mendoza, Keirsten Seahorn, Bethany Allen, Olivia Trapp and Brooklynn Jimeson providing one hit each. 

Monday's results move Henderson to 17-23 and into sixth place in the Great American Conference standings, one game ahead of NWOSU, heading into the final weekend of the season. The Reddies are 23-29 overall in 2017 and will play their final series of the regular season this weekend in Bethany, Oklahoma, against Southern Nazarene, with doubleheaders scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.