JACKSON, Tenn. — Henderson State (15-11, 5-9 GAC) wraps up a dominant series against Lane College (8-13, 4-6 SIAC) with two decisive victories on Tuesday, defeating the Dragons 9-1 in game one and 13-4 in the second game of a doubleheader to complete four-game sweep.
Over the course of the series, the Reddies allowed just six total runs, outscoring the Dragons 37-6 across four games.
The sweep was particularly meaningful for head coach Joel Worthington, who previously led the Dragons before taking the helm at Henderson State. His squad showed no signs of slowing down against his former team, executing in all phases of the game to secure a clean sweep.
Henderson State wasted no time setting the tone in the opening game of the doubleheader, plating three runs in the first inning and never looking back. Macy Hoskins and Hilary Akers led the charge early, with Hoskins driving in Justine Burch with a triple before Akers launched a two-run homer to right center scoring Hoskins to give the Reddies a commanding 3-0 lead.
The Reddies added three more in the second, capitalizing on a RBI single from Mackenzie Williams and an two-RBI single from Hoskins. Hoskins finished the game with a season high four RBIs.
On the mound, Jersey Cabana was in control from the start, throwing five innings while striking out six to earn the win. Maddie Fulmer made her first appearance of the season shutting the door, throwing two innings and allowing just one run in relief.
The finale saw an offensive explosion from Henderson State, as the Reddies racked up 13 runs on 17 hits. Six different players recorded at least one RBI, highlighting a complete team effort at the plate. Three players recorded multiple RBIs, Hoskins knocked in four RBIs on her way to an eight RBI day, Josie Copeland knocked in two and Akers brought in three runners of her own.
The Reddies scored in six of the seven innings including a six-run inning in the top of the seventh. Hoskins knocked in three of her four RBIs with a three-run home run, the sophomore Hoskins has now hit five home runs this season.
The Dragons managed to stay within striking distance early, but the Reddies' relentless offensive pressure proved too much. Hannah Devlin appeared in just her second game of the season, striking out two and allowing just two runs, while Presley Applegate (2-1) picked up the win, pitching 3.1 inning and allowing just two runs. Makenna Keeton (S,1) earned her first save of the season, entering in the sixth inning in a three-run game before the Reddies opened it up in the seventh.
With the sweep, Henderson State improved to 15-11 on the season and found their offense, looking to bring their bats to Bethany, Okla. this coming weekend The Reddies' pitching staff was lights-out all series, allowing just six runs in four games while the offense outscored the Dragons 37-6.
Coach Worthington's squad will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup as they travel to Southern Nazarene for a crucial GAC series beginning on Friday.
