SEARCY, Ark. — Needing a win to keep pace in an ever-tightening race to the Great American Conference Tournament, Henderson State picked up one of its biggest of the season in the finale on Saturday, as the Reddies held off a late Harding charge to claim the road series with a 5-4 victory.

Henderson (22-21, 16-13) will play again on Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Christian Brothers at Clyde Berry Field. The Reddies will face rival Ouachita Baptist next Friday and Saturday across the street in the final GAC series of the year for both teams.

Game Three: Henderson State 5, Harding 4
Joe Myers' three-run home run in the fourth inning proved to be difference in the series-deciding game and lifted Henderson to a 5-4 win in the rubbermatch Saturday.

A sacrifice fly RBI from Turner Sparks in the third gave the Reddies a 1-0 advantage early, but the inning of the weekend came for Henderson in the fourth.

Singles from Danny Mitchell Jr. and Caleb Carr brought Mitchell Jr. in to make it 2-0, and after another hit from Bryson Haskins, it was Myers who delivered in a big way for the Reddies. With a full count, the junior from Little Rock belted a ball over the wall in the left center field to drive in three runs and give HSU a 5-0 lead.

Harding refused to go away, and used two hits, two walks, and a wild pitch to get back three runs in the fifth and trim the deficit down to 5-3.

The Bisons threatened again in the sixth when they moved two runners into scoring position with just one away. Needing to escape the jam, Henderson brought in closer Jon Youngblood, who induced two ground outs and a line out to give up one run, but maintain a 5-4 lead, as the game moved to the seventh.

Down to its final three outs, Harding was able to scratch a hit and advance the tying run to second base with two gone in the inning, but once again Youngblood came through, as he got a ground ball to shortstop Brandon Pollock, who put it away to clinch the game and series for the Reddies.

Myers was spectacular in one of the biggest games of the season for HSU and led the Reddies at the plate with three RBIs, a home run, and a double. Youngblood earned his fourth save of the season, while starter Zach Eschberger got his fourth win after throwing 4 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on just two hits.

Game Two: Harding 11, Henderson State 1
The Reddies were limited to just five hits in the first contest on Saturday and fell 11-1 to the Bisons.

Harding starter Logan McCall was tremendous for the Bisons, and allowed just one run on five hits while striking out seven Reddies batters.

Henderson's first hit did not come until the fourth inning and fell behind 3-0 after Harding plated two in the first and one in the third.

The Bisons extended their lead with three more runs in the fifth, and after the Reddies finally scratched one on an RBI walk from Joseph Shepherd in the seventh, Harding tacked on another three in the bottom half, plus two in the eighth, to close it out.

Greyson Stevens had two of the five hits in the game for Henderson to notch the second multi-hit game of his career.