Reddies, Muleriders roll into weekend GAC tilt
JACKSON, Tenn. — Henderson State head baseball coach Cody Hooten picked up his
200th win Wednesday as the Reddies beat Union University, 6-3, on the road.
The win helped the Reddies (21-12, 15-6 Great American Conference) bounce back from a pair of loss to league-leading No. 17 Arkansas-Monticello (23-9, 17-4) and build momentum for this weekend’s series with No. 25 Southern Arkansas
(23-9, 16-5).
Redshirt freshman outfielder Caleb Carr, of White Hall, led off the game with an infield single. Sophomore infielder Joe Myers, out of Little Rock Catholic, followed with a double to right field, advancing the Central Arkansas transfer to third base. Senior catcher Brentten Schwaab, a Tyler Junior College transfer from Beaumont, Texas, was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Walks to junior infielder Brandon Pollock and senior outfielder Dylan McCain, of Royse City, Texas, plated Henderson’s first two runs. Pollock is from Gilbert, Ariz., and transferred to Henderson from South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.
Henderson added two more runs in the sixth inning. Redshirt freshman Dalton Guthrie, a graduate of Centerpoint, hit a single up the middle and was followed by freshman outfielder Bryson Haskins, out of Ashdown, who doubled to left field. Both runners scored on a single to left field by redshirt sophomore infielder Daniel Colasanto, of Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, for a 4-0 lead.
With one out, Henderson proceeded to load the bases as Brentten Schwaab was hit by pitch. The Reddies scored both runs thanks to walks surrendered to Brandon Pollock and Dylan McCain.
Carr hit a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning with the bases load to give the Reddies a 5-0 lead.
Redshirt sophomore Dalton O’Donnell (2-1) pitched four innings with two strikeouts, giving up two runs on five hits to pick up the win. Junior Kris Priddy (4-2), of Terrell, Texas, started the game and worked three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. Junior Taylor Langston, a Barton Community College transfer from El Dorado, picked up his seventh save of the year.
Carr led the Reddies on offense with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with two RBIs. Haskins, Myers and Colasanto each had two hits.
Hooten is now in his eighth season as head coach of the Reddies. He needs just six more victories to pass Clyde Berry and become the program’s winningest coach.
Henderson traveled to Monticello a week ago a game behind Monticello at the top of the GAC standings. The Boll Weevils lost the series opener before winning both games of a day-two doubleheader to stay atop the league.
Southern Arkansas entered last weekend in third place. A home sweep of Ouachita Baptist (10-25, 6-15) moved the Muleriders into second place.
Henderson and Southern Arkansas are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. at Clyde Berry Field.
The Reddies’ rotation is led by senior Bryant Haralson (5-2), a Crowder College transfer from Atkins, with a 3.68 ERA and junior Zach Eschberger (5-2), of Bullard, Texas, with a 3.62 ERA. Haralson won the GAC Pitcher of the Week Award in February. Eschberger received the award on March 26. Langston leads the staff with a 1.04 ERA in 13 appearances.
Carr and Colasanto have come on recently to improve their batting averages to .368 and .327, respectively. Senior outfielder Jordan Harris, a Tabor College transfer from Tulsa, Okla., leads the lineup with 43 hits and 11 doubles for a .355 average. His 20 RBIs and four home runs are both tied for second on the team with Pollock and Schwaab, respectively.
Senior Zack Gray, of Hamilton, Ohio, leads the Reddies with six home runs and 26 RBIs. He transferred to Henderson from High Point University in North Carolina.
Southern Arkansas 9, Arkansas Tech 6
RUSSELLVILLE — Southern Arkansas visited fourth-place Arkansas Tech (21-12, 14-7) for a non-conference game on Tuesday and took a 9-6 victory from the Wonder Boys.
The Muleriders scored four runs in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie. They plated nine runs on eight hits and overcame 13 stranded baserunners to pick up their third non-conference win over an Arkansas league foe this spring. Southern Arkansas has won four straight games and eight of its past 10.
Redshirt sophomore Zach Muldoon, of Lake Hamilton, hit 1-for-4 and walked in another plate appearance. His .304 average is fourth on the team.
Southern Arkansas will look to control the weekend series with its starting rotation of senior Kenneth Taylor (7-1), of Plano, Texas, 49 strikeouts, 26 walks and a 1.94 ERA in 46-plus innings; senior Hunter Vasquez (5-1), Ennis, Texas, 72 strikeouts, 20 walks and 2.58 ERA in 52-plus innings, and senior Jacob Stroder (6-2), Frost, Texas, 62 strikeouts, seven walks and 4.03 ERA in 51-plus innings.
Senior Jacob Richardson, of Rison and a transfer from Central Arkansas, leads the Southern Arkansas lineup with a .364 average on 44 hits, including nine home runs and 40 RBIs.
Harding 9, Ouachita 5
SEARCY — Harding handed Ouachita Baptist its eighth straight loss Wednesday with a 9-5 home win.
The Tigers have not won since St. Patrick’s Day. Harding (18-17, 9-12) evened up the season series after losing the conference series earlier in the season.
The Bisons took a 4-0 lead after three innings before senior first baseman Preston Speers, of McKinney, Texas, hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score freshman Tyler Riebock, of Rockwall, Texas. Three runs in the bottom of the inning gave Harding a 7-1 advantage.
Riebock led off the sixth inning with a double to right field. Senior catcher Kyle Alexander, of Conway, made the score 7-3 with a home run to left field.
Ouachita added two more runs on solo shots by Alexander and Speers in the eighth inning. It was the first multi-home run game of the season for Alexander.
The loss marked the second time this season Alexander and Speers hit home runs in the same game. It last occurred on March 11, also against Harding.
Ouachita will host Monticello Saturday and Sunday at Rab Rodgers Field. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.