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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Clyde Berry Field will be the site of one of four GAC Tournament opening-round best-of-three series' this weekend when the No. 4 seed Henderson State Reddies host the fifth-seeded Southern Arkansas Muleriders in potentially three games across two days.

Game one is scheduled for Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. with game two set to begin Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. Should HSU and SAU split the first two games, an if-necessary game three will begin approximately 40 minutes following game two.  

REDDIES REPORT (27-21, 20-13 GAC)
Henderson State earned the tournament's four seed and the opportunity to host a first-round best-of-three series after taking 2-of-3 against Ouachita Baptist in the regular season finale. Following a 12-9 loss in extra innings, HSU rallied back with a pair of 3-1 and 3-2 victories on Saturday's doubleheader. Aiding in the twin bill sweep was relief pitcher Payton Byrd, who was named the GAC Pitcher of the Week after recording the save in game two and the win in the third contest.

Henderson's series victory over OUA was its ninth conference series win this season. Within those nine such victories, HSU is 5-1 in series rubber matches, including in each of the last two weekends. Against Oklahoma Baptist, after winning the series opener, the red-and-gray responded to an 11-9 game-two loss with a 4-3 triumph in game three.

By the numbers, the Reddies are 15-3 when leading after just the second inning and 24-3 when they lead after six innings, but are 0-17 when trailing after six innings. Henderson is 22-7 when holding its opponents to five or fewer runs, but are 5-14 when allowing six or more runs. When out-hitting its opponent, HSU is 24-4 compared to 1-16 when getting out-hit.

Henderson St. and Southern Arkansas are all-too familiar with each other when it comes to the postseason. In what will be the 12th GAC Tournament (did not play in 2020) this weekend, Henderson St. will have now met Southern Arkansas during the conference postseason in 10 of those years. While the Muleriders hold the 7-5 advantage in those meetings, the Reddies are 4-0 against SAU in such contests at Clyde Berry Field.

The red-and-gray hold a 14-12 record at home this season, but have lost just one GAC series on their home turf in the last three years. Earlier this season, when the Reddies faced off against Southern Arkansas in Magnolia in a three-game stand, HSU won their first conference series on SAU's home field in GAC history. Henderson had four players hit .500 or better in the trio of games, led by senior Logan Cowart, who finished 5-for-8 (.625) with three RBI and working two walks. 

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS (28-18, 19-13 GAC)
Southern Arkansas was an extra-inning walk-off hit away from hosting this weekend's series, losing the final regular season series to Arkansas-Monticello before falling to the No. 5 seed. The Muleriders come into this weekend with a better road record than home record at 15-8 compare to 10-9, respectively. Southern Arkansas is 11-7 in road games against league competition and split its six such road series'.

Southern Arkansas closes the regular season hitting .279 as as team, which is 10th in the conference, while HSU is hitting .289 for seventh. On the flip side, SAU holds a 4.38 team-ERA, which is second in the GAC and 25th in NCAA Division II, while the Reddies carry a 5.78 ERA as a staff for seventh in the league. Opponents are hitting the Mulerider pitchers at a .269 clip compared to just .258 against HSU.

Earlier this season, then-No. 8 SAU faced Henderson in a non-conference midweek game, defeating HSU, 9-1. Pitchers Nate June and Micah Burke combined to throw 11 strikeouts while allowing just five hits. At the plate, third baseman Jaden Woolbright went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI while also working a walk. Southern Arkansas has won the last two meetings in Arkadelphia, but the Reddies won the last three-game series, two games to three.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Kaden Argenbright's senior season, which featured him breaking the program's all-time hits, RBI, runs scored and doubles record, has him with 302 hits, 198 runs and 195 RBI for his career. With two more runs and five more RBI, Argenbright, who is currently riding a 26-game hitting streak, will become the first player in GAC history with a 300-200-200 career stat line.

ADMITTANCE TO THE PARK
While there are no tickets needed to come to this weekend's series, Henderson State baseball is charging $10 per car, cash only, to park at Clyde Berry Field starting one hour prior to first pitch of Friday and Saturday's game(s).