ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Trailing 6-4 and down to its final three outs of the game, Henderson State scored three runs without recording an out in the bottom of the ninth inning to storm back and stun Washburn 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at Clyde Berry Field.

The victory improved the Reddies to 2-1 on the year and provided an early season highlight against a Washburn team who played in the NCAA Central Regional last spring.

In what was a back-and-forth affair, the Ichabods broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth when they scored twice on two RBI singles to seize a 6-4 lead. HSU stranded the potential tying run in the bottom half of the inning, but reliever Mitchell Szczygiel kept Washburn at bay in the top of the ninth to give Henderson one final chance.

A lead-off walk on a full count by Cade Tucker got things going for the Reddies, and after both Greyson Stevens and Luke Farrar delivered singles into the outfield, HSU was in business. With no outs and the bases loaded, Kaden Argenbright came through with the biggest hit of the young season for Henderson when he laced a two-run double down the left field line to tie the game at 6-6.

Suddenly faced with a 6-6 game and the winning run on third base with no one out, the Ichabods elected to walk Dillon Thomas and make a pitching change. The new hurler's outing was short-lived, however, as he plunked pinch hitter Austin Scritchfield on his first pitch to give Scritchfield a walk-off RBI and the Reddies a 7-6 win.

Louis Holt had three hits to lead HSU at the plate, while Logan Cowart had two hits and two RBIs out of the nine-hole. Greyson Stevens tied the program record for base hits with 194 in his career after recording two singles on Sunday. 

Szczygiel, who faced just three batters, got the win for HSU on the mound. Henderson starter Reese Weaks made his first appearance of the season and struck out five batters in four innings of work. 

The Reddies return to action on Thursday when they host Missouri Southern at 2:30 p.m. It is the first of four contests HSU will play next weekend at Clyde Berry Field as a part of the 2023 Henderson State Invitational.