ALVA, Okla. — A lead in the early going did not hold up for Henderson State on Friday night, as Northwestern Oklahoma State scored seven unanswered runs to get past the Reddies 7-3 and take the first game of the weekend series.

Henderson (9-13, 4-9) struck first when the Reddies took advantage of two NWOSU errors to plate two runs and take a 2-0 lead. Josh Aguilar, who reached on a throwing error, came around to score the first run when the inning was kept alive on a second errant throw to first base. Wynn, who reached on the play, scored as well moments later, after back-to-back two-out singles from Daniel Colasanto and Ryan Wieligman. 

The Rangers (12-9, 4-8) responded quickly in the bottom half, as a single, a double, and a home run in the inning helped them scratch three runs and take a 3-2 lead. The scoring continued for NWOSU in the third, where, with two gone, the Rangers got a single, a double, and a triple, all in succession, to score two more and take a 5-2 advantage.

The Reddies had a chance to cut into the lead in the fifth when Joseph Shepherd singled with runners on first and second with two outs. It was not to be, however, as Brandon Pollock was thrown out at home trying to score to end the inning.

A solo home run and a single from NWOSU in the bottom of the frame strengthened the Rangers' lead to 7-2, and although Henderson got one back on an RBI single from Wynn in the sixth, the Reddies never got within four runs, as Northwestern took the first game of the series.

Shepherd was the lone Reddie with more than one hit and finished 2-for-4 in the game to lead HSU offensively. Henderson had eight hits in the game but none went for extra bases, while NWOSU had two home runs, two doubles, and a triple. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Reddies.

The two teams play again tomorrow in a doubleheader, set for 1 p.m. in Alva, Oklahoma.