Henderson sweeps SNU with Sunday run-rule win

BETHANY, Okla. — Henderson State struck in a big way early and in a big way late on Sunday afternoon to run-rule Southern Nazarene 15-2 and sweep its opening GAC series of the year.

Eight different players had hits in the win, including freshmen Kaden Argenbright and Alec Lewis, who each led the team with three. Seven Reddies (5-1, 3-0) drove in runs on the afternoon and five of them had two RBI or more. Joe Myers had a team-high four on a walkoff grand slam in the seventh.

Spencer Taack earned his first win of the year on the mound for HSU. Taack pitched five innings and allowed 11 hits but just two earned runs. Cade Tucker and Blake Patterson each pitched perfect innings of relief out of the bullpen for Henderson.

It was a short outing on Sunday for SNU starter Brett Rexroad, who was chased by the Reddies after giving up five runs on six hits in just 0.2 innings. The big inning — headlined for HSU by a two-run homer from Danny Mitchell Jr. — erased some early SNU momentum after it had taken a 1-0 lead.

The Reddies tacked on two more runs in the second on an RBI single from Lewis to go in front 7-1. SNU got one back in the third, but that ended the scoring from both sides for the next five innings. The Crimson Storm missed an opportunity to get back into the game and stranded four runners in the fourth and fifth.

Henderson’s bats came alive again in the bottom of the seventh. The Reddies plated eight runs on four hits and three walks — four of which came off the bat of Myers, who launched a grand slam over the right field wall with two outs in the frame to end the game for HSU.

HSU racked up 13 hits and five walks in the win and struck out just three times. In the series, the Reddies scored 45 runs on 43 hits and out-scored SNU 45-6.

The Reddies return to action next Friday when they host UAM at 6 p.m. in the series opener at Clyde Berry Field.