TEXARKANA, Texas – Henderson State's (17-19, 5-15 GAC) offense came alive in a dominant 8-3 victory over Texas A&M-Texarkana (28-6 14-2 RRAC), but the Reddies couldn't complete the sweep, falling 4-2 in the first game of the doubleheader.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Henderson State responded in the second with an offensive explosion. Kaylin Kaufman got things started with an RBI double, driving in Brooke Johnson to tie the game. Jay Albiter followed with a RBI double to score Langley Miller, giving the Reddies a 2-1 lead. The Reddies scoring would not be stopped as Hilary Akers ripped a double down the right-field line, plating Albiter and Addison Tidwell to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Reddies continued their offensive outburst in the third inning plating four runs in the inning. Hoskins got the scoring started in the third inning with a run after walking in her at bat, Johnson scored her second run of the day and Albiter scored off another Akers double.
In the circle, Henderson State's pitching staff was led by Presley Applegate, who kept the TAMUT offense in check. She worked efficiently, limiting the Eagles to just seven hits while striking out four in a strong performance, earning the win.
Akers was a standout performer at the plate, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs, while Johnson contributed a 2-for-4 performance with two runs scored.
The first game of the doubleheader was a tightly contested matchup, with Henderson State unable to generate the offense necessary. TAMUT took an early lead in the second inning with an RBI double to start the scoring, the Eagles plated three runs in the second inning.
Henderson State battled back in the fifth inning when Macy Hoskins launched a two-run homerun to score Justine Burch to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Despite the late push, the TAMUT Eagles added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Akers once again led the Reddies offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double, while Hoskins' home run highlighted Henderson State's scoring efforts. Johnson allowed only five hits in the circle while pitching the complete game.
The Reddies return to Arkadelphia to face Arkansas Tech in a highly anticipated GAC contest on Friday at 4 p.m.
