ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State managed just four hits on the afternoon courtesy of Dillon Thomas and Logan Cowart as the Reddies fell in the first game of the HSU Invitational to Missouri Southern, 4-3. 
 
The aforementioned Thomas and Cowart combined to go 4-of-6 at the plate, with Cowart seeing a hit in both of his recorded at-bats. Henderson left seven runners on base in the one-run game.
 
After both starting pitchers failed to give up a single hit in the first inning, Missouri Southern broke open the scoring in the second with a bases-clearing double after the first two Lions walked to put the visitors ahead, 2-0. A passed ball and groundout from the next two batters scored a third Lion, as HSU was faced with a 3-0 hole heading into the bottom half of the second.
 
Thomas gave Henderson its first hit of the afternoon with a dribbling single that slowly made its way past the pitcher before stealing second on the following at-bat. The next two Reddies got on base without putting a ball in play with Luke Rice walking on the ensuing at-bat followed by Jacob Carrol earning a base with a hit-by-pitch.
 
After a flyout to center, Logan Cowart's plate appearance yielded another hit batter, scoring Henderson's first run of the afternoon. With two outs facing HSU, a ground ball to the shortstop left the bases loaded for the Reddies as play moved to the third with the score 3-1.

Missouri Southern added what would be its final run of the afternoon in the top of the third as the Lion pitching staff held it down the rest of the way. Facing a 4-1 deficit, Henderson's offense claimed just two more hits until the ninth inning. With MSSU three outs away in the ninth, Thomas give HSU its first plus-base hit with a double down the left field line. An error on the Lion shortstop on the ensuing batter gave the home crowd a bit of momentum as the tying run came to the plate.

After MSSU switched pitchers, a walk delivered to newcomer Mitchell Szczygiel loaded the bases for the second time for the Reddies. With zero outs against the red-and-gray, some more ninth-inning magic appeared to be brewing. Thomas scored on a Louis Holt ground ball that got first-base runner Nate Moore out at second before a Colton Patterson sacrifice fly scored Drake Browning to cut the Lion lead to one, 4-3.

Now with two outs and one run still to make up, the rally was cut short after Missouri Southern was able to strike out HSU's final batter to hold on to the victory. Henderson St. (2-2) will return to Clyde Berry Field for game two of the HSU Invitational against Lane College at 6 p.m.