ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Dominant pitching in games one and two, along with a Macy Hoskins grand slam in the second contest of the doubleheader, propels Henderson State past Southern Nazarene in Saturday's doubleheader to win the series 2-1.

Jodie De Hart led the bats in game one, going 3-3, as Henderson outhit the Crimson Storm 9-to-4. Justine Burch and Brooke Johnson also saw a multi-hit contest with two hits each and combined three runs scored. Johnson pitched all 7.0 innings and allowed just four hits and no runs to improve 4-4.
 
Hoskins stole the show in game two, going 2-for-2 day at the plate with a grand slam and six RBIs. Presley Applegate improved to 3-1 in the circle after pitching 5.0 frames and giving up one run on three hits while striking out three batters.  
 
GAME ONE: HSU 5, SNU 0
Starting pitcher Johnson was under pressure early by the Crimson Storm bats, as SNU had the bases load in the top of first. Johnson worked out of the jam to strand all three runners and keep SNU off the scoreboard. 
 
The Reddies soon found a breakthrough in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead, following a single up the middle by De Hart to score Burch, who reached on a leadoff single. HSU added to its lead in the fourth with an RBI single by Johnson for her second hit of the game to score Burch, 2-0. 
 
Johnson continued to keep the SNU offense at bay, allowing just one hit across the second, third and fourth innings. HSU soon extended its lead in the fifth to 3-0 on an error by Southern Nazarene's second baseman, which allowed De Hart to reach home from third.

In the sixth, the Reddies plated another two runs off a double by pinch-hitter Kaylin Kauffman to score Katelyn McMahan and Johnson, stretching HSU's advantage to 5-0. Johnson retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to pick up her fourth win of the season and finished with five strikeouts in the complete-game shutout. 
 
GAME TWO: HSU 9, SNU 1 (5 inn.)
Henderson took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first behind a strong start by Applegate in the circle, who allowed just one hit in the first four innings. The Reddies quickly added to their advantage in the second with a five-run inning to grow their lead to 6-0.
 
Following a leadoff double by Josie Copeland, HSU had two more runners reach safely with one out to load the bases and would score the opening run of the frame on a single up the middle by Jorika Alvarez. After a pitching change by the Crimson Storm with the bases still loaded, Hoskins sent her first hit of the game over the left-field wall for a grand slam.

The HSU bats stayed hot in the third inning, plating three more runs to extend its lead to 9-0. Two runs scored off the bat of Hoskins, who singled down the right field line, while another run crossed home on a hit up the middle by Hilary Akers. Southern Nazarene added a run in the top of the fifth before Applegate struck out the final batter of the game to win the rubber match 9-1.

Henderson State (20-25, 11-16 GAC) prepares for the final road trip of the season on Apr. 19-20 when the Reddies head to the Sooner State to face league-leaders Oklahoma Baptist in a three-game series.