ARKADELPHIA, Ark. –
Michelle Sorensen and
Becca Almond provided solid starts and Henderson State baserunners forced the issue as the Reddies swept Saturday's doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State 5-3 and 8-0.
For the second straight day,
Kailey Reese led Henderson's offense as she finished the doubleheader a combined 3-for-6 with three RBIs. Reese was 7-for-13 in the series and bumped her average above the .300 threshold in the process.
The Reddies (15-13, 9-7) begin a 10-game road trip next weekend when Henderson travels to Weatherford, Oklahoma, to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State with doubleheaders scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Game One: Henderson State 5, NWOSU 3
Reddies' baserunners put immense pressure on the NWOSU defense all day, beginning in the first inning of the doubleheader.
Marcela Lopez walked and immediately stole second to put herself in scoring position. Following a fly out, Lopez stole third, and advanced home to score on an error from the NWOSU shortstop, giving the Reddies a 1-0 lead.
Although the bases were cleared, the Reddies scored one more in the bottom of the first as
Monica Monreal was hit by a pitch and later scored on a
Cecily Rodriguez double to left center field. After one inning of play, HSU held a 2-0 advantage.
The Lady Rangers were able to tie the score 2-2 in the second with a clutch, two-out, two-run single, but a quick top of the third gave HSU a chance to re-take the lead in the bottom half.
Following a groundout to open the inning, HSU got back-to-back singles from
Abbie Moore and Monreal before Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases. After a lengthy battle at the plate, Reese got the pitch she wanted and doubled to left field to give HSU its second two-run lead, 4-2.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth, HSU was able to add an insurance run in the sixth.
Lindsey Williams opened the inning with an infield single before advancing on an error by the NWOSU first baseman.
Marcela Lopez picked up her 10th RBI of the season moments later and sent Williams home with a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 5-2.
The Lady Rangers scratched a run in the top of the seventh, but Sorensen recorded her sixth strikeout of the afternoon to end the game and secure the 5-3 win for Henderson.
Game Two: Henderson State 8, NWOSU 0Â Â Â
For the second time in as many games, the Reddies used aggressive base running to take an early lead.
Ashlyn Taylor led off the game by scorching a double to right center field before Lopez singled to third base to give HSU runners on the corners.
Looking to force the issue, Lopez induced a rundown, which allowed Taylor to score from third and give Henderson a 1-0 lead on what resulted in a double steal. Lopez then stole third and scored on another NWOSU error, their first of five in the game, as the Reddies took a 2-0 lead into the second.
Following scoreless frames in the second and the third, Henderson scratched another run across in the bottom of the fourth. Reese led off the inning with a single, and came all the way around to score on a sacrifice bunt after the Lady Rangers threw the ball into the outfield, which pushed HSU's advantage to 3-0.
Despite leading 3-0, HSU was still searching for its first RBI when the game entered the bottom of the fifth. Moore ripped a leadoff single, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt and a hit by pitch, to give the Reddies two runners for their hottest hitter. Looking to put the game out of reach, Reese ripped a bases clearing triple into the right centerfield gap. The timely hit scored two runs and gave Henderson its largest lead of the day, 5-0.
Another double steal from
Madie Green and Reese moments later made it 6-0. After loading the bases with a walk to
Alyssa Dixon and an infield single from Williams, Taylor scored Green with a sacrifice fly to push the Lady Rangers to the brink, 7-0. Dixon and Williams advanced to third and second, respectively on the sacrifice fly, and Lopez singled through the left side to score Dixon and run-rule the Lady Rangers, 8-0.
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