ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State earned its second win of the week over a Top-25 team on Friday when it rallied to defeat No. 16 Oklahoma Baptist 5-2 in the series opener at Clyde Berry Field.

Facing the Bison's ace, Jake Lipetzky, the Reddies (6-9, 3-4) put together five runs, three of which came off of the OKBU starter, and six hits in the win. Of those six hits, four went for extra bases and three were doubles. 

The Reddies' pitching staff limited OKBU, who entered the game batting .350 as a team, to two runs and eight hits with only two going for extra bases. Starter Austin Cross gave Henderson five innings of work and allowed two runs on four hits, and the bullpen was terrific for HSU, as Blake Patterson got the win after pitching three scoreless innings and Taylor Langston earned the save by recording the final three outs in the ninth.

After four scoreless frames, Oklahoma Baptist finally got to Cross in the fifth, when the Bison scored two runs on three hits and an error to take a 2-0 lead. The Reddies answered right away in the bottom half, as a lead-off home run from Kaden Argenbright cut the deficit to 2-1 with one swing. HSU tied things back up moments later when Cade Tucker doubled and was brought home on an RBI single from Josh Aguilar to make it 2-2.

Henderson only needed one hit to go in front in the sixth. A walk, a stolen base and a wild pitch helped Danny Mitchell Jr. advance to third base with one out for the Reddies and Tucker did his job at the plate when he brought the run in to score with an RBI ground out to put Henderson up 3-2.

The Reddies got two insurance runs in the seventh and went in front 5-2 on a two-RBI double from Greyson Stevens. Patterson kept the Bison bats in check after entering in the sixth and allowed just two hits over the next three innings. Down to its final three outs in the ninth, OKBU brought the tying run to the plate against Langston, but the former All-American got the final batter to ground out and handed the Bison their first GAC loss of the year.

Tucker and Argenbright both finished 2-for-4 at the plate for Henderson, while Stevens had two RBIs on his big hit in the seventh. The Reddies have now won five of their last six games after starting the season 1-8.

HSU will have two chances to win the series tomorrow and will face OKBU in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.