SHAWNEE, Okla. — In its longest game of the 2021 season, Henderson State got stellar pitching performances from Spencer Taack, Cade Tucker and Taylor Langston, and outlasted Oklahoma Baptist 4-3 in the series opener at Bobby Cox Field.

The win improves the Reddies to 23-15 overall and 18-13 in GAC play. HSU is fighting for seeding position with the conference tournament looming next weekend.

The Bison, who entered the series ranked No. 3 in all of NCAA DII baseball with 75 home runs this season, were limited to just seven hits and three runs in 11 innings by the HSU pitching staff. OKBU struck out 17 times on the night and drew just three walks. 

Taack gave the Reddies another terrific start, this time in a hostile road environment. The junior hurled six innings, allowed just three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out a career-high 11 Bison batters to earn a no-decision. 

Tucker and Langston were equally good out of the bullpen for Henderson. Tucker pitched three no-hit innings of relief and walked one batter, while Langston earned the win by working the final two innings and surrendering just one hit. The two hurlers combined to give the Reddies 5.1 innings of scoreless relief and dealt with only two baserunners. 

CJ Hughes had his best game of the year for HSU at the plate. Hughes finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Both Greyson Stevens and Joe Myers also had two hits in the win for the Reddies, while Danny Mitchell Jr. extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Henderson did not lead until extra innings but battled back from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits thanks to the RBIs of Hughes and an RBI single from Stevens in the sixth. After four scoreless innings for both sides, the Reddies finally broke a 3-3 tie in the 11th on a sac fly from Josh Aguilar, which proved to be the difference. 

HSU will look to win the series tomorrow when the two teams meet again on the final day of the regular season in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.