Reddies to play in GAC championship

ARKADELPHIA - For the third straight year Henderson State will play in the Great American Conference Baseball Championship as the Reddies eliminated No. 14 Southern Arkansas 9-5, Saturday.

The Reddies, 32-20 on the year, lost earlier in the day to Arkansas-Monticello. The two teams will meet for the second straight year in the championship game with Henderson having to win twice to claim the title. First pitch for today's GAC Championship is set for noon at Clyde Berry Field.

In the second game for the Reddies on Saturday, SAU put together three straight hits in the first-inning to take a 1-0 lead with Jacob Richardson driving in Trevor Rucker with a single to left field.

The Muleriders, 39-14 on the year, increased the lead to 3-0 in the third frame as Mark Fontenot hit a tworun blast to left field which brought home Rucker who doubled prior to Fontenot’s homer.

Henderson got back in the game in the fourth-inning as Jordan Taylor led off the inning with his eighth home run on the season to put the Reddies on the board.

Colton Coffman then reached on a one-out walk followed by a Texas League base hit by Joe Myers to centerfield. With two outs, Dylan McClain laced a shot to straight away centerfield with Mulerider Blake Hall losing his footing as the ball dropped for a double and plate both Coffman and Myers to tie the score at 3-3.

Southern Arkansas regained the lead in the top of the fifth-inning as Rucker hit his fourth home run of the tournament to give the Muleriders a one run advantage.

Henderson would strike again with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to answer the Muleriders.

Alan Hall led off the inning with a bunt single followed by Hayden Lessenberry reaching on a walk. After the two advanced on a ground out by Taylor, Jones would hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning.

Coffman then took Jacob Stoder’s first offering up the middle to drive in two runs to put the Reddies back up by a run.