Henderson State tops ECU in GAC sweep
ADA, Okla. — Henderson State completed the three-game Great American Conference series sweep against Saturday against East Central as the Reddies won both games, 6-1 and 10-0.
The Reddies (19-10, 14-4) are in second-place in the league standings after recording their fourth series sweep if the year. Henderson is one game behind first-place Arkansas-Monticello (20-7 15-3).
In the first game on Saturday, Henderson State fell behind 1-0 but took the lead in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on four hits.
Brandon Pollock started the inning with a triple to right field and scored on a double by Nolan Ryan for the first run. Dylan McCain gave the Reddies the lead when he singled to left field to score Ryan. McCain later scored on a balk to put Henderson on top, 3-0.
Henderson added two runs in the eighth inning when Ryan belted a triple to right-center field that scored Taylor Langston who singled earlier in the frame. Caleb Carr drove home Ryan with a base hit up the middle to increase the Reddie lead to 5-1.
Brentten Schwaab provided an insurance run in the ninth when he singled to left field which scored Jordan Harris who led off the inning with a double.
Daniel Sprinkle (3-2) put together his best performance of the year on the mound, recording a complete-game victory, allowing one run on five hits.
In the series finale, Zack Gray was a base hit away from recording a cycle as the senior from Hamilton, Ohio, went 3-for-3 with a double, triple and home run along with four RBIs.
Gray put the Reddies on top, 2-0, in the first-inning with a tworun home run to right field. Two innings later, Gray laced a two-run triple and then scored on a wild pitch to increase the Reddie lead to 5-0.
Henderson scored a run in the fourth as Ryan doubled and scored on a groundout later in the frame.
After manufacturing two more runs in the fifth, Carr drove in Henderson’s ninth run in the sixth with a triple of his own to score Joseph Shepherd, who reached on an error. Carr also scored on a wild pitch.
Zach Eschberger (5-1) went the distance on the mound in recording his first shutout of the year along with his fifth complete game.
The junior from Bullard, Texas, faced two batters above the minimum, giving up three hits while striking out five.
Henderson State used an 11-run fourth-inning to run-rule East Central, 15-1, on Friday. The Reddies clubbed 13 hits off of Tiger pitching.
Henderson first got on the board in the second-inning scoring two runs with Pollock bringing home the first run with a double to right-center field that scored Schwaab, who singled to lead off the inning. Pollock later scored on a ground out by Langston.
In the fourth inning, Henderson put together seven hits and took advantage of four walks to score 11 runs in the frame.
Harris supplied a three-run home run in the inning, while Shepherd drove in two runs with a triple. Daniel Colasanto had two of his three hits in the inning while also driving in a run.
Colasanto provided a two-run double in the fifth-inning, scoring Pollock who singled, and Langston, who reached on a fielder’s choice.
Bryant Haralson (4-2) went the distance on the mound, striking out seven batters while scattering four hits.
Colasanto went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, while Schwaab also collected three hits in the game.
Harris finished the game going
2-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI, with Pollock also going 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.
Carr finished the three game series going 4-for-8 at the plate with three RBIs, while Ryan was
4-for-9 with two doubles, a triple and four RBI.
Pollock, Schwaab and Harris also had four hits over the weekend.
The Reddies will travel to Monticello this weekend for a threegame series with first-place Arkansas-Monticello. The first game is set for 3 p.m. on Friday.