MAGNOLIA, Ark. — No. 8 Southern Arkansas hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night to hand Henderson State a heartbreaking 5-4 loss in the series opener. 

The Reddies (21-9, 12-7) saw the Muleriders (24-5, 18-1) score all five of their runs via the home run. SAU hit a solo shot in the first and two two-run homers in the fourth and ninth.

Three different players had two hits for HSU in the contest, including Greyson Stevens, who hit a two-run blast in the third to finish with two RBIs. Spencer Taack got a no-decision after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked three.

After trailing 1-0 early, Henderson got going with a big third inning which saw an RBI double from Kaden Argenbright and Stevens' two-run homer plate three runs and give the Reddies a 3-1 lead.

The Muleriders tied things up at 3-3 in the fourth on a two-run shot, but Cade Tucker gave HSU the lead back in the fifth on an RBI single which made it 4-3. The Reddies held the slim one-run advantage for the next three innings.

Henderson escaped SAU threats in the sixth and seventh, where the Muleriders left a combined five baserunners without scoring. The Reddies were unable to escape the threat in the ninth, however, as Southern Arkansas used a leadoff single, followed by a home run from Brandon Nicoll, to steal the win in the game's eleventh hour.

HSU will look to bounce back tomorrow at 2 p.m. when it faces SAU in a doubleheader to wrap the weekend series.