Softball Drops Twin Bill at Henderson State

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma State falls to Henderson State in Saturday's doubleheader at Dee White Field.
 
The Savage Storm were kept quiet in game one versus the Reddies, falling 4-0, but later got the bats going in game two with home runs, though it would not be enough, as HSU took the second contest 8-6.
 
Southeastern (7-8, 0-2 GAC) concludes the series with Henderson State on Sunday, Feb. 23, at noon from Dee White Field in Arkadelphia.
 
GAME ONE: HSU 4, SE 0
Southeastern trailed the Reddies after the first inning, as HSU got a leadoff home run to take a 1-0 lead. The Storm threatened to scratch runs at the top of the second, with runners at the second and third, with zero outs after India McMurray and Laci Larsen reached on singles. However, three straight outs from the blue and gold stranded the pair of runners.
 
Henderson continued to add to its lead in the bottom half of the third inning, plating two more runs to extend its advantage to 3-0. SE threatened again in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded after two walks and a single by Larsen, but again, the Reddies were able to work out the jam to keep Southeastern off the scoreboard.
 
SE struggled at the plate with runners on base, stranding eight for the game, as the Reddies added a final run in the fifth, 4-0. Larsen led the lineup with two of the team's four hits, while Emily Simmons started the game in the circle and went 5.0 frames, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out seven.
 
GAME TWO: HSU 8, SE 6
A fast start by Henderson State quickly put the Storm behind 5-0 in the first inning. However, the blue and gold replied with a pair of home runs off the bat of McMurray and Serenity Oden to make it a two-run game, 5-3, in the top of the second. SE continued to chip into the Reddies' lead with a third home run of the game, this time a solo blast from Iliana Olivares in the top of the third to make it 5-4.
 
Starting pitcher Trinity Oden would only last the first frame, but Alyson Malone quickly settled things down for Southeastern, throwing a pair of scoreless innings in the second and third, which allowed the Storm to close the gap. Though, the Henderson bats came alive again in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring a run in each frame to grow its lead back to 7-4.
 
Again, Southeastern responded in the top of the sixth with a second home run of the game from McMurray, this time a two-run shot to close the gap to 7-6. The Reddies would hold their lead in the final two innings and added another run in the bottom half of the sixth for the game's final run, 8-6. McMurray led the team with two hits – both home runs – and had three RBIs and two runs scored.