Reddie hot offense set to take on Rangers

ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State will look to continue its offensive production as the Reddies play host to Northwestern Oklahoma State in a key threegame Great American Conference series beginning with a doubleheader today at Clyde Berry Field with the first pitch set for 3 p.m.

With rain in the forecast for Saturday late afternoon, a decision was made to play the doubleheader Friday and the finale of the series on Saturday beginning at noon.

Henderson (26-14, 19-8) is in second place in the league standings with six games remaining. The Reddies have already clinched one of six spots in the GAC tournament beginning May

5 in Enid, Okla.

With a win on Friday, head coach Cody Hooten will become the winningest coach in Reddie baseball history, surpassing Clyde Berry, who recorded 205 wins in 10 total season from 1963-66 and 1982-87. In his eight years as the Reddie skipper, Hooten has a

205-192-1 record, including three straight 30-plus win seasons.

The Reddies are aiming to win their 20th conference game for the third straight year and 100th victory all-time in GAC play.

In the last five games, Henderson’s offense has averaged 11 runs per game with the team hitting .362. In those five games, the Reddies have collected 23 hits for extra bases, including five home runs for a .584 slugging percentage.

Collectively, Henderson has a team batting average of .279, an improvement of 23 percentage points in the last 10 games.

Dylan McCain has been the leader as of late, going 8-for-14 in the last five games for a .571 average. For the season, McCain has upped his average to .297.

Brandon Pollock hit 9-for-21 in the last five games for a .429 average. Pollock enters the weekend hitting .294, having reached base safely in 24 consecutive games.

Zack Gray is attempting to become only the second Reddie to hit 10 home runs in a season since the inception of the GAC. The senior from Hamilton, Ohio, has belted nine home runs and leads the team in RBIs with 38, while having a .527 slugging percentage.

The pitching rotation for the weekend will remain the same with Bryant Haralson (7-2, 4.17 ERA) making the start in the opener. Zach Eschberger (6-3,

3.90) and Daniel Sprinkle (3-3,

4.76) are scheduled to start games two and three.

Haralson, a senior from Atkins, has won his last four starts, bringing his career total in wins to 17. Haralson has struck out 72 batters on the year in 82 innings on the bump.

Eschberger is coming off a performance against Southwestern Oklahoma State (21-18, 15-10) that earned him GAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season. The left-hander from Bullard, Texas, fanned a career-best 10 Bulldogs in six innings of work.

Sprinkle, a junior from Pine Bluff, is looking to rebound from a tough outing against Northwestern.

Northwestern Oklahoma State

(20-23, 12-16) swept Ouachita Baptist (11-32, 6-21) last weekend.

The Rangers have a .285 team batting average led by Jorin Van Amstel, who is hitting .362 with a team-best 12 doubles and 34 RBIs. Judah Zickafoose follows with a

.339 average, including a teamhigh nine home runs. Daschal Johnson sports a .331 average with eight doubles, six home runs and

25 RBIs.

The Ranger pitching staff enters with a 6.39 ERA with opponents hitting .286.

Walker Wharton (6-2, 2.83) is set to start the opener on the mound for the Rangers. Wharton pitched seven innings of shutout baseball last weekend against Ouachita. He has 54 strikeouts in

70 innings of work.

Baron Phillips (1-0, 4.26) and Matt Goertzen (3-4, 6.82) make up the rest of the weekend rotation. Phillips made his first start last weekend against the Tigers and fanned eight batters in 4 1/3 innings of work. Goertzen pitched

6 1/3 innings against Ouachita, surrendering just two runs on four hits.