ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – On the second day of the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament, Henderson State was tripped up by (RV) Missouri Southern 12-7 in the first game of the day before falling to Northeastern State 8-1 in the second contest.
HSU (1-3) recorded 15 hits over the two games, including 11 against Missouri Southern. Macy Hoskins led the bats with a 3-for-6 at the plate, with three runs scored and an RBI from a solo home run across the two contests. Miyah Jackson and Justine Burch each saw a multi-hit game against MSSU and recorded a kncok against NSU.
The Reddies will conclude the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament tomorrow, starting with (RV) Missouri Southern at 10 a.m. and Northwest Missouri State at 12 p.m. from Dee White Field.
Game One: MSSU 12, HSU 7
Missouri Southern struck first in the top of the first inning with a pair of hits to take a 1-0 lead, but the Reddies would tie things up in the bottom half. A throwing error and passed ball by the Lions allowed lead-off hitter Lily Warren to reach third and would score off a single to left field from Brooke Johnson to make it 1-1.
The Lions replied in the top of the second with a solo home run, and HSU would match MSSU's blast with a lead-off solo shot from Macy Hoskins to keep it a tied game 2-2 in the bottom of the second. Starting pitcher Makenna Keeton kept the Missouri Southern bats quiet in the third, which allowed the red-and-gray to take the lead 3-2 after an RBI single from Josie Golden scored Jodi De Hart from third.
In the following inning, MSSU regained the lead 6-3 after plating four runs. The Reddies pulled a run back in the bottom of the fourth after Jackson batted in Burch, who led the inning off with a single to cut the lead to 6-4.
The Lions added to their score in the top of the fifth with another four-run frame to stretch the lead to 10-4. Walks and errors hurt Henderson in the frame as two walks scored a pair of runs, and a wild pitch resulted in another score for MSSU. The Tigers would plate two more runs in the top of the sixth to make it 12-6. The Reddies would add one more run in the bottom of the seventh before the final out of the game.
Game Two: NSU 8, HSU 1
The Reddies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after starting pitcher Meagan Allen worked three outs in the first four at-bats for NSU. A leadoff single and stolen base by Warren quickly had a runner in scoring position. Warren advanced to third on a flyout before a passed ball resulted in the freshman scoring.
Northeastern State tied the game 1-1 in the top of the second and later took the lead 2-1 in the third. The HSU bats were kept at bay during the next two innings by the NSU pitching staff, which gave the Riverhawks a chance to add to their lead in the top of the fourth with a three-run frame, 5-1.
Henderson's offense struggled to get going, despite making contact with the ball, but were unable to chain any hits together. NSU stretched its lead to 7-1 in the top of the sixth before adding another run in the seventh to seal an 8-1 win.
