ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Henderson State softball program falls to Northwest Missouri State 11-3 and (RV) Missouri Southern 6-5 in nine innings on the final day of the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament.
HSU (1-5) notched 16 hits over the two games, led by
Justine Burch, who went 2-of-5 at the plate in the two games and combined for three RBIs and two runs scored.
Jodi De Hart recorded a multi-hit game against NWMSU (2-4), while
Katelyn McMahan saw a 2-for-3 day at the plate versus MSSU.
Game One: NWMSU 11, HSU 3
The Bearcats struck first in the top half of the first inning, scoring a pair of runs on three hits to lead 2-0. HSU threatened in the bottom of the first with runners on first and second with one out after back-to-back walks, but a groundout and strikeout would end the frame. NWMSU added to its lead in the second, plating four more runs to stretch its edge to 6-0.
Henderson pulled two runs back in the bottom of the second with singles from
Jay Albiter and
Addison Tidwell. The pair both stole second, respectively, to put runners on second and third with no outs. A groundout RBI off the bat of
Justine Burch scored the first run, and a double from
Miyah Jackson added another score, 6-2.
Northwest Missouri State extended its lead with another crooked number in the third, plating five more runs. Most of the damage came with one swing, as the Bearcats knocked a grand slam over the left-center field wall to stretch their advantage to 11-2. Henderson would score one more run in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Burch and an error by the NWMSU centerfield, allowing
Emylee Bittinger to reach home.
Game Two: MSSU 6, HSU 5
Starting pitcher
Savannah Carrigan got MSSU to retire in order in the top of the first, and the Reddies had the Lions under pressure with runners on second and third. Jackson and
Macy Hoskins reached on back-to-back walks to start the frame, and a passed ball moved the runners up 70 feet. HSU would load the bases the following at-bat after Jodie De Hart was hit by a pitch, but the Lions found a third out on a swinging strikeout.
Both sides went scoreless in the second before Missouri Southern had a two-run top of the third. The Lions tallied five stolen bases to notch two runs on just one hit. HSU replied with a two-run bottom half of the third to knot things up 2-2. Hoskins worked a leadoff walk, and an RBI double up the middle by
Brooke Johnson scored the freshman from first. The Reddies' second run came moments later with a single up the middle by De Hart to send Johnson home from third.
The Lions grew their lead in the fourth, plating two runs on a triple, which scored runners from first and second to give MSSU a 4-2 edge. After being held to two hits in the fourth and fifth innings, Henderson went back to work in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game up 2-2.
Katelyn McMahan led off the frame with a double down the left-field line.
Hilary Akers pinch ran for McMahan and would reach home on an RBI double by Burch. Hoskins knocked a double down the left-field line two batters later to score Burch from second, 4-4.
Into extra innings, both sides notched a run in the eighth to keep the game level at 5-5. Missouri Southern took the lead in the top of the ninth, 6-5, and the Reddies could not reply in the bottom half as the Lions would hold on to win the game. Henderson State (1-5) stays at home next week for a showdown with Delta State on Feb. 10-11. The Reddies will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 10, starting at 12 p.m. at Dee White Field.
