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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Henderson State will make its second trip of the season to the Sooner State when it meets East Central for a three-game series in Ada, Oklahoma. First pitch is set for Saturday, Mar. 23 at 1 p.m. with game two to follow while the series finale is scheduled for Sunday, Mar. 24 at 12 p.m.

REDDIES REPORT (14-14, 9-6 GAC)
In HSU's last weekend GAC series, it took 2-of-3 against Southeastern Oklahoma State at Clyde Berry Field. The pair of victories has the Reddies tied for fifth in the conference standings at 9-6 while sitting one game back of third place and two games back of second.

Kaden Argenbright became the program's all-time hits leader in Henderson's midweek showing against No. 8 Southern Arkansas after his 2-for-4 day at the plate. Argenbright now holds the all-time record in hits (268), runs scored (174) and doubles (62). This weekend, the Sulphur Springs, Texas, native needs just two RBI to break that record.

Argenbright and Luke Rice lead the Reddies at the plate after hitting .362 and .356, respectively, through 28 games. Argenbright has tallied at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games, including a current six-game hitting streak. In conference play, true freshman Jordan Allen completes the offensive trio with a .367 batting average.

Henderson's pitching has picked up since the start of GAC play, holding a 4.65 team-ERA in conference-only action, which is sixth in the conference. Reese Weaks leads the pitching staff with a team-best ERA of 3.31 while having recorded 34 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .192 off Weaks while Kyle Williams, who has spent the second most time on the mound, is allowing batters to hit .200 off him.

Henderson State is sporting a two-game winning streak over East Central after opening up last year's home series against them with a 4-1 loss. It was HSU's first loss to the Tigers since 2019. The Reddies have not lost a GAC series to ECU since 2014, which was also the last time the red-and-gray lost a game to the orange-and-black in Ada. 

SCOUTING EAST CENTRAL (5-24, 2-13 GAC)
East Central has opened the 2024 conference slate dropping 13 of its first 15 games by an average margin of 8.5 runs. The Tigers have captured four of their five season-total wins at home this season. Those four wins at Ken Turner Field has already matched last year's home win total.

While ECU is carrying a GAC-worst 11.12 team-ERA, the Tigers are seventh in the league in team batting in league play, hitting .284 - .18 better than HSU's conference-only hitting percentage - while that middle-of-the-pack average has resulted in just 81 runs through 15 games. East Central has scored at least five runs in the GAC games just four times this season. Meanwhile, HSU has exceeded four runs in conference action nine times.

Infielder Nick Blankenship is leading the squad with 28 hits, including 11 doubles, one triple and one home run as the graduate student is slugging .431. Blankenship is hitting .275, which is second to Britton Sperry's team-high .303 average. Blankenship has started every GAC game for the Tigers this season, claiming 12 RBI in those 15 contests.