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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Henderson returns to conference action this weekend when it heads to Magnolia to take on No. 7 Southern Arkansas in a three-game series beginning Saturday, Mar. 9 at 5 p.m. The final two games will take place from Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field Sunday at 1 and 4 p.m.

REDDIES REPORT (10-10, 5-4 GAC)
Henderson St. comes to Magnolia after dropping three of its last four, including two-of-three to Arkansas Tech at Clyde Berry Field, which gave HSU its first GAC series loss of the season. The Reddies have not lost back-to-back conference series' since 2022. Last year, after suffering a series loss to Tech, the red-and-gray responded by taking two games from then-No. 9 Southern Arkansas the following weekend.

Last time on the diamond, Kaden Argenbright tied the all-time program record with 60 career doubles, claiming a pair of two-baggers against Ouachita Baptist in the midweek contest. Argenbright needs one more to double over the next three games to stand alone as the program's all-time leader in doubles. With one record just about down, the Sulphur Springs, Texas, native also needs 15 more hits, 13 more RBI and eight more runs to broke those school records.

In addition to Argenbright, true freshman Cal Jones shared the spotlight with his 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Jones is now sporting a team-leading .342 batting average while he is also slugging .605 with two doubles, two home runs and a triple in his 38-bats. Five of the freshman's 13 hits have been for extra bases.

Starting pitcher Reese Weaks (2-0) has delivered terrific performances in his last two times out on the mound, recorded a combined 17 strikeouts to just five walks. In those two appearances, Weaks' ERA has dropped from 4.15 to 2.39 as he has allowed just one run on four hits over that stretch. Fellow pitcher Kyle Williams (2-1) has served as HSU's game-one starter in every series this season, holding a 4.12 ERA with 19 strikeouts while having allowed just 11 runs on 12 hits in 24.0 innings of work.

Henderson St. has won the three of the last five meetings against Southern Arkansas, including the last season in Magnolia in what was a midweek game. However, in a GAC three-game series format, HSU has never taken 2-of-3 against the Muleriders inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field in the GAC era. The Reddies are 4-3 against NCBWA Top-10 SAU squads in the last three years but are 74-142 in the overall series with the blue-and-gold.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS (15-3, 9-0 GAC)
After starting out the year receiving votes in the preseason NCBWA poll, Southern Arkansas has climbed to No. 7 after a hot 15-3 start, including 9-0 in conference play. The Muleriders have won 15 of their last 17 after opening out the season with a 7-2 loss against then-No. 23 Missouri Southern, and are currently riding a seven-game winning streak. Most recently, SAU swept then-No. 24 Harding in a three-game GAC series on the road.

Of Southern Arkansas' nine league wins, only four of them have been by three runs or more, with three of those coming against 4-17 East Central. Against Southeastern Oklahoma State, which is 0-9 in conference play, SAU won that three-game series by a combined score of 21-17. Enabling the Muleriders to pull out those close games has been their strong pitching staff. In nine GAC games, Southern Arkansas has allowed more than four runs just twice while having recorded four saves.

Closer Isaiah Haynes has been elite on the mound, already having all four of SAU's saves on the season, including three saves in one GAC series. Haynes has thrown just 6.0 innings and has recorded 14 strikeouts to just one walk while allowing two runs and two hits. As an entire staff, Southern Arkansas is second in the league with a team-ERA of 4.18 while having given up the fewest amount of runs of any in the conference.