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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – After going 2-1 in the season-opening Dugan Collegiate Baseball Invitational, Henderson State baseball now turns its attention to the HSU Invitational, which will feature eight teams, including conference-foes Oklahoma Baptist and No. 2 Southern Arkansas.
 
With nine games being played on Clyde Berry Field over the next four days, the Reddies will face off against Missouri Southern Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Lane College Friday at 6 p.m., Newman at 6 p.m. and McKendree Sunday at 11 a.m. The entire tournament schedule can be found HERE.
 
REDDIES REPORT
Henderson opened the 2023 season with a 5-1 victory over Northwest Missouri St. and Preseason Third Team All-American pitcher Max Spitzmiller. The Reddie pitching staff allowed the Bearcats just five hits as HSU's arms recorded 10 strikeouts, five of which came from senior Cade Tucker in just two innings of work to secure his sixth career save. The second win of the opening weekend was thanks to a three-run bottom of the ninth that lifted Henderson over Washburn, 7-6.
 
University of Arkansas-Rich Mountain transfer Luke Rice shined in his first action as a member of the Henderson State baseball program, recording seven hits, three of which were doubles, in three contests. Greyson Stevens and Luke Farrar each added five hits as the trio hit a combined .472 (17-of-36) on the weekend.
 
Stevens' five hits gave him 194 for his career, tying him with Robert Gilbert for the most hits in program history. One more hit this weekend will establish him as the all-time hits leader in HSU baseball history. Dating back to last season, the Pottsville, Arkansas native has recorded a hit in 11 of his last 12 games.
 
Henderson holds a combined 4-10 record against its four opponents this weekend, with Lane College being the only team HSU has never faced. The Reddies are 2-5 all-time against Missouri Southern, 1-4 against Newman and 1-1 against McKendree. The last time the red-and-gray played against any of these teams, however, Henderson defeated Newman in 2020, 11-2.
 
SCOUTING MISSOURI SOUTHERN (4-0)
With Thursday being the Lions' first contest away from home, MSSU finds itself undefeated, having beaten St. Cloud State, who was receiving votes in the NCBWA 2023 Preseason Poll, 2-1 and 11-9, before posting a pair of run-rule victories over Southwest Baptist, both of which came by a score of 12-2.
 
Missouri Southern pitchers Cole Woods and Cale McCallister, each with one start on the season, have a 0.00 ERA, with neither hurler having given up a run yet. Woods (1-0) has recorded nine strikeouts in six innings of work while allowing just three hits. Senior infielder Matt Miller is hitting .545 with six hits, two home runs and five RBIs in 11 plate appearances.    
 
SCOUTING LANE COLLEGE (0-4)
Lane opened the 2023 season in Florida where the Dragons went 0-4 against Lynn, Palm Beach, Barry and Nova Southeastern in a span of two days. With LC's best arm through the early going being JD Klug, who has a 3.60 ERA off one start this season, Lane's best bat is freshman infielder Zion LaGrone, who is hitting .417 with five hits, one RBI and two runs scored.
 
SCOUTING NEWMAN (2-2)
Newman opened the new season against a pair of GAC opponents in Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Jets won the three-game series over SNU, 3-1, before losing in a single game against NWOSU, 4-1. While NU does not have a pitcher with an ERA below 5.40 currently, it does have three players hitting over .400, led by senior outfielder Jake Angelico, who is hitting .438 with seven hits and 11 RBIs through four contests.
 
SCOUTING McKENDREE (0-0)
McKendree will play its first game of the 2023 season at the HSU Invitational when they play Oklahoma Baptist Friday at 11 a.m. before meeting HSU on the final day. Last season, the Bearcats finished 20-27 overall and 15-13 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. A veteran McKendree squad does return its top four hitters from 2022, led by senior outfielder Corey Price, who hit a team-best .380 and paced the club with 68 hits and 42 RBIs.