ENID, Okla. — Henderson State got off to a fast start on Monday against Southern Arkansas, but the Muleriders scored five runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth, to rally and defeat the Reddies 9-7.

The loss ends the year for Henderson (30-20), who clinched its fourth-straight 30-win season yesterday against Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Trailing 6-2, SAU came roaring back in the seventh. The Muleriders used an infield single with the bases loaded to score their third run, then got a two-out grand slam from Austin Baker to surge in front for the first time, 7-6.

Despite surrendering the lead, Henderson answered in the top of the eighth. After Zack Gray drew a leadoff walk, then advanced to third on a sac bunt and wild pitch, the Reddies called on pinch hitter Daniel Colasanto, who came through with an RBI groundout in a gutsy at-bat, to tie the game 7-7.

The Muleriders loaded the bases for the third-straight inning in the bottom of the eighth. Reddies' closer Taylor Langston nearly worked Henderson out of it after retiring the first batter he faced, but a potential double play ground ball up the middle by SAU batter Zach Muldoon could not be turned into two. Instead, the ball got away from the first baseman Gray, which allowed SAU to plate two runs and retake a 9-7 lead.

Down to their final three outs, the Reddies tried to rally again in the ninth, and brought the tying run to the plate twice, but could not get the hits they needed, as they fell 9-7 to end their tournament run.

Gray led Henderson at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a double and a home run. Starter Daniel Sprinkle gave the Reddies five innings of work and allowed just two runs on six hits.

Initially, it looked like it might be the Reddies' day, as they wasted no time getting to Mulerider starter Kenneth Tabor on Monday afternoon. A leadoff walk from Caleb Carr and a bloop single from Nolan Ryan set the table for Gray, who put his stamp on the game early, by launching his team-leading 10th home run of the season out to left field. Gray's three-run shot gave Henderson a 3-0 lead only minutes into the game.

Henderson's bats kept coming in the second, when Joseph Shepherd uncorked his second home run of the GAC Tournament deep over the wall in left field. The long ball from Shepherd plated two more runs for the Reddies to make it 5-0.

After SAU got a run back in the third, the Reddies extended their lead out to five once again in the sixth, after a wild pitch from new Mulerider pitcher Eric White allowed Ryan to scamper home from third base and stretch Henderson's advantage out to 6-1. The five-run lead would not hold up for long, as the Muleriders began their climb back in the bottom half of that inning.

As a team, Henderson recorded just five hits in the game — four of which came in the first two innings. The Reddies' lone hit in the final seven innings came on a double from Gray in the fifth.