ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Mallory Brewer settled in after a bumpy start to give HSU seven strong innings on Friday, as the Reddies used their team speed to come from behind and get a 6-3 victory over the Maryville Saints in the opening game of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic.
Unfortunately, the Reddies weren't able to get the Friday afternoon sweep, as they fell in the second game of the doubleheader to Missouri–St. Louis, 6-3.
The Reddies (4-5), will play three more contests over the weekend with their next game set for Saturday morning at 9 a.m. against Missouri Western.
Game One: Henderson State 6, Maryville University 3
After falling behind 3-0 through two innings, the Reddies got things started in the bottom of the third. Lindsey Williams beat out an infield single, and after an error from the Maryville pitcher, Williams moved to third as Marcela Lopez stood safely on first.
Selena Mendoza laid down a perfect bunt to score Williams, as Lopez advanced to third on a safety squeeze that put HSU on the board and cut the deficit to 3-1. Madie Green followed Mendoza and scorched a line drive that nicked the pitcher's glove and resulted in an infield single. The hit scored Lopez to pull the Reddies within a run, 3-2.
After getting into some trouble early, Brewer was in a groove in the fourth, and used a blazing fastball on the outside corner to keep Henderson within one run. Moments later, the Reddies capitalized, as Christianna Camp sent a 1-2 pitch over the right-center field wall to tie the score at 3-3.
Following a lightning-quick fifth inning, Brewer got quick outs in the top of the sixth, retiring nine straight Maryville batters in the process. In the bottom half, Nadia Ballarin pinch-hit and was hit by the first pitch she saw before Kailey Reese re-entered the game and took her place at first base.
After Reese advanced to third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt from Camp, Alexis Morton scored Reese with a safety squeeze down the first base line to give the Reddies their first lead of the weekend, 4-3.
An error from the Maryville second baseman gave the Reddies runners on the corners and Morton and Ashlyn Taylor executed the double steal perfectly, as Taylor stole second and Morton stole home to extend Henderson's lead to 5-3.
After a walk to Williams, the Reddies put the double steal on once more, and again the decision paid dividends, as HSU forced another error which allowed Taylor to score and give the Reddies a 6-3 advantage after six innings.
Brewer slammed the door shut in the top of the seventh and got the win by retiring 17 of the last 20 batters she faced.
Game Two: Missouri–St. Louis 6, Henderson State 3
For the second game in a row, the Reddies found themselves in a hole entering the middle innings.
Trailing 4-0 with Taylor on second base, Lopez found the outfield grass for a double, driving in Taylor before coming all the way around to score herself following an error to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
After hurling three straight scoreless innings, the Tritons got to HSU pitcher Becca Almond once again, as Michelle Sorensen took the mound with the Reddies trailing 6-2 in the top of the fifth.
Although Sorensen inherited runners on the corners and walked the bases loaded with just one out, she was able to get out of the inning and keep the Reddies within striking distance, down 6-2.
Morton got HSU going in the bottom of the fifth, slapping a double down the right field line on a two-strike count to give the Reddies new life. While the Reddies scored Morton with an RBI groundout from Williams, they would come no closer, as they fell in the second game of the doubleheader, 6-3.
