MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Henderson State outlasted No. 8 Southern Arkansas 8-6 in the series finale on Saturday to snap the Muleriders' eight-game GAC winning-streak and salvage a game in the weekend set.
The Reddies (22-10, 13-8) return to action on Tuesday at 6 p.m. when they face SAU once again in a midweek non-conference contest at Clyde Berry Field.
GAME 2: Henderson State 8, Southern Arkansas 6
Trailing 5-4 late in the series finale on Saturday, the Reddies dug deep and scored three runs in the final two innings to steal a game from the nation's No. 8 team, 8-6. The win snapped an eight-game conference winning streak for the Muleriders and was just their second GAC defeat of the season.
Nine different players each had a single in the win for HSU. Logan Cowart had two RBIs to lead the team and the Reddies drew eight walks in just seven innings.
Andrew Howard put together a terrific relief performance and earned the win by pitching 3.1 innings and surrendering just one run on one hit. Howard struck out six batters and walked four. Austin Cross recorded the save after securing the final out for Henderson in the seventh.Â
HSU got going fast in the final game of the weekend series and scored four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead through one inning. David Vilches, Luke Farrar and Cowart each drove in runs in the first.
Southern Arkansas responded quickly and got two runs on two hits in the second, followed by a two-run home run in the third, to tie the game at 4-4 after three frames.
The sides exchanged runs in the fourth, as an RBI hit from Cade Tucker and an RBI double from SAU left the score knotted at 5-5. The Muleriders took their first lead of the game in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk. The run gave Southern Arkansas a 6-5 lead and put all the pressure on Henderson.
Needing an answer, the Reddies got one in the sixth when the Muleriders committed a throwing error that allowed the game's tying run to score from second base. With momentum suddenly on its side, HSU sat SAU down in order in the sixth and then proceeded to score two runs on just a single hit to seize the lead in the seventh. Henderson took advantage of three walks and a hit batter in the inning.
Leading 8-6 and looking to close it out, the Reddies got a fight from Southern Arkansas, who loaded the bases with two outs for Brandon Nicoll — the hero for the Muleriders in Friday's walk-off victory for SAU. With the game hanging in the balance, Cross made sure there would not be another walk-off, as he got Nicoll to ground out to the shortstop to end it for HSU.
The victory for the Reddies handed the Muleriders their first GAC home loss since May of last season.
GAME 1: Southern Arkansas 11, Henderson State 8
The Reddies used a furious late-inning rally in Saturday's first contest to nearly erase a once-seven run deficit, but SAU held on late to defeat Henderson 11-8 and win the series in Magnolia.
Greyson Stevens led Henderson with two hits and two RBIs on a home run in the first inning, while Dillon Thomas had a team-best three hits in six plate appearances.
HSU got out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to Stevens' blast in the first, but watched as SAU scored the game's next nine runs to take a commanding 9-2 lead after seven innings.
Down to their final six outs, the Reddies' bats awakened in the eighth, as they used five hits to score six runs and trim the deficit down to just 9-8 in the blink of an eye. Kaden Argenbright drove in two runs on a double while Farrar, Thomas and Alec Lewis also drove in runs.
After seeing its big lead whittled down to a run, the Muleriders responded in the bottom half of the eighth. An HSU error with two outs led to a free at-bat that SAU cashed in on, as a home run plated two unearned insurance runs for Southern Arkansas and made it 11-8.
Henderson brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after a single from Nick Butler and a walk from Alex Day, but the Reddies were unable to score and fell in the series' second game.
HSU out-hit Southern Arkansas 13-10 in defeat, but stranded 11 baserunners on the day.
