ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State ace Spencer Taack delivered the best performance of his standout career with the Reddies on Friday night, as he tossed a complete game shutout to help HSU defeat Southeastern Oklahoma State 4-0 in the series opener at Clyde Berry Field.

Taack, who improved to 8-1 on the year, threw 111 pitches and surrendered no runs on just two hits and one walk. He carried a perfect game into the seventh inning and struck out a career-high 12 Savage Storm batters. The Reddies have not lost a home game with Taack on the mound since the 2021 season opener.

Bryson Haskins led HSU with the bat and finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a solo home run in the eighth inning. Greyson Stevens and Cade Tucker also had two hits, while Dillon Thomas extended his hitting-streak to 10 games with a home run in the fifth. Thomas has recorded at least one hit in 20 of Henderson's last 21 games.

The Reddies went in front 1-0 in the first inning on Friday night thanks to a throwing error by Southeastern on a could-have-been double play. Three hits, including an RBI single from Haskins, helped HSU score another run in the third to make it 2-0.

Thomas cashed in on a full count in the fifth inning when he hit a laser over the fence in left center for his fifth home run of the season. Henderson did not score again until Haskins' blast in the eighth, but the lead proved to be more than enough for Taack, as he kept the Savage Storm off the base paths entirely until the seventh.

Southeastern's only threatening moment of the contest came in the seventh frame, where it used a walk and hit to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs. Taack escaped the jam, however, and got a fly out, strikeout and groundout to leave the two runners stranded.

Taack's performance was the first nine-inning complete game since Bryant Haralson went the distance in a 4-3 win over Southern Arkansas in 2018, and the first nine-inning complete game shutout since Chris Hunt pitched a no-hitter against the Savage Storm in 2016. 

Henderson will look to win the crucial GAC series tomorrow when it faces SOSU in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.