ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Junior pitcher Payton Byrd was called on in two of the biggest moments of the season Saturday. In response, the Warren, Arkansas, native delivered his fourth save of the season in the day's first contest and an all-time showing in the second game for the 3-1 and 3-2 victories in the regular season finale.

Byrd's heroics delivered the series victory for HSU as the Reddies clinched the No. 4 seed and a first-round home series in next weekend's GAC Tournament. Henderson St. will now host No. 5 Southern Arkansas in a best-of-three series from Clyde Berry Field May 3-4 for a chance to advance to the GAC's Final Four.

A pair of seniors led the HSU offense on Senior Day as Kaden Argenbright secured his 26th consecutive game with a hit in the series finale, furthering his hold on the program record, finishing the twin bill going 2-for-7 with one run scored. Senior Logan Cowart led the offense on the afternoon with three hits and two RBI across the two games.

On the mound, Byrd recorded seven strikeouts in his three total innings pitched in the doubleheader, including five in the final two innings of game two. In Saturday's opening contest, Reese Weaks (5-1) secured the win with five strikeouts while allowing just one run on six hits in 6.2 innings of work.

GAME ONE: Henderson State 3, Ouachita Baptist 1
Starting pitcher Reese Weaks did not allow his first hit until the fourth inning as all three of Ouachita's base runners up to that point came courtesy of walks. Cowart gave the Reddies the early lead in his first at-bat in the second inning with a two-RBI single before HSU was forced to leave the bases loaded as play continued.

Following a single run in the fourth, the Tigers posed their biggest threat in the top of the fifth with two on and no outs. Two straight ground-outs and a punch-out kept HSU's lead intact, 2-1. Luke Farrar extended the advantage with a two-out home run in the home half of the fifth for the two-run edge.

Over the final four innings, a combined effort from Weaks, Baylor Brumley and Byrd allowed just three hits compared to six strikeouts over that stretch. With the Reddies three outs away from forcing the rubber match, Byrd worked three-up, three-down, including striking out the two final Tigers as a precursor to his career afternoon.    

GAME TWO: Henderson State 3, Ouachita Baptist 2
Pitchers Andrew Howard and Luke House went toe-to-toe in the winner-take-all contest. The opposing pitchers allowed just two hits each through four innings of the seven-inning finale. A Ouachita Baptist triple before a sacrifice fly gave the game its first run in the fifth inning, 1-0.

The Tigers were forced to strand a pair of base runners following the game's first run, but another three-up, three-down inning for Henderson State in the bottom of the fifth kept it a one-run game. The purple-and-gold looked to be blown the game open in the sixth, but once again, the Reddie coaching staff turned to Byrd.

Byrd entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs facing the visitors before opening with a strikeout. A walk allowed OUA to plate one run, but the Reddie defense caught a Tiger base-runner stealing before another strikeout turned Ouachita Baptist's golden opportunity into one run as HSU remained within striking distance.

Henderson needed at least two more runs to continue play despite only having two hits up to that point. The Reddies' biggest hitters came through when they needed it most as a Cowart lead-off single preceded an Argenbright hit-by-pitch and a Luke Rice single to load the bases with two outs to work with.

Jordan Allen brought HSU within one with a sacrifice fly, moving everyone up a base. Still trailing by one, Louis Holt delivered his only hit of the night with a two-RBI single to give the red-and-gray their first lead of game three.

With the Reddies all of a sudden three outs away from clinching the weekend series, Byrd continued his all-time performance at Clyde Berry Field, striking out the next three Tigers in order, two of which were Ouachita's two leading hitters, as OUA was unable to put a ball in play.