ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – A stellar performance by three Henderson State seniors led the Reddies to a 2-1 victory in the first of four weekend games against the Harding Lady Bisons.

Michelle Sorensen was untouchable for much of her Friday afternoon outing, racking up 11 strikeouts against just four hits and no walks as she picked up her 10th win of the season.

Ashleigh Erb, another senior celebrating her last series at Dee White Field, went deep and reached base three times in the win, while Selena Mendoza had the walk-off hit for HSU in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Reddies a dramatic victory.

Unfortunately, Henderson's comeback bid in the second game of Friday's doubleheader was cut short as Harding prevailed and split the day with a 9-7 victory. Despite the loss, Erb starred with her bat once again, and hit her second and third home runs of the doubleheader to lead HSU.

Henderson State (24-26, 18-20) will celebrate senior day tomorrow when it takes on Harding in a doubleheader with first pitch set for 12 p.m.

Game One: Henderson State 2, Harding 1
Harding looked primed to score the game's opening run in the top of the first after two infield singles helped the Lady Bisons load the bases with one out.

Sorensen and the Reddies were able to get out of the jam, as a 6-2 putout from shortstop Ashyn Taylor to catcher Abbie Moore and a line-out to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

After HSU was retired in order in the bottom of the first, the second inning went smoothly for Sorensen. She struck out all three Harding hitters and gave the Reddies some momentum heading into the bottom half.

Although Sorensen had been the senior standout in the first frame, it was the senior third baseman Erb who put the Reddies in front with a solo home run to left centerfield which gave Henderson a 1-0 lead. The big fly was Erb's 10th home run of her career.

The Lady Bisons were able to scratch an unearned run across in the third, which tied the game at 1-1. After that, the game turned into a true pitcher's duel, with Sorensen battling Harding's Jenna Hipp all the way into extra innings. Sorensen at one point retired 16 straight HU hitters.

With the score knotted at 1-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth, the Reddies seized their opportunity when the heart of the HSU order came up to bat. Monica Monreal led off the inning with a single to right field before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Moore.

Kailey Reese smoked a single through the left side, advancing to Monreal to third with just one out. Erb walked to load the bases, and head coach Beth Jackson turned to another senior, this time Mendoza, in a big spot.

Mendoza answered the call, getting a pinch-hit a single off the end of the bat and up the middle to score Monreal and give Henderson the series opener, 2-1.

Game Two: Harding 9, Henderson State 7
 HSU couldn't hold Harding's bats quiet in Friday's second game as the Lady Bisons picked up a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the first, and a two-out, two-run single in the top of the second to take an early 4-0 lead.

The Reddies scratched a run across in the third when Moore sent Madie Green home with a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-1. They picked up another in the bottom of the fourth when Erb hit her second solo home run of the day to make the game 4-2 Harding.

However, Harding extended its lead with two runs in the fifth, and three more in the seventh, to take a commanding 9-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Facing a massive deficit, Reddies refused to go quietly. Ashlyn Taylor led off the inning with a single, and following a fielder's choice, Green teed off on a 3-2 fastball for perhaps the longest home run of the season hit by a Henderson player. Green's team leading seventh home run of the season cut Harding's lead down to 9-4.

With the bases empty, Monreal worked a walk, giving Moore a chance to hit with a runner on base. This time, it was Moore's turn to go deep with a two-run blast of her own, which pulled the Reddies within three, 9-6.

After a fly out pushed HSU to the brink, the Reddies had one more blast in their back pocket. For the third time on Friday, Erb went deep for HSU with a no-doubt home run to dead center field which made the score 9-7.

Despite three home runs in an inning for the second time this season, the comeback fell short, as Harding finally recorded the final out and held on for a 9-7 win to split the doubleheader.