ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma State and Henderson State battled back and forth and needed extra innings to decide the winner, and the Storm would see a late run by the Reddies in the bottom of the eighth to fall 4-3.
India McMurray paced the lineup with three hits, including a home run, and the blue and gold finished with nine total hits.
Sage Harlow and
Iliana Olivares notched two hits each, with a double and an RBI.
Sheyenne Cheek dropped to 0-3 in the circle after pitching a complete game. Cheek had six strikeouts and allowed four runs on the three hits.
Southeastern wasted no time taking the lead as Harlow belted a solo shot over the left-field wall to give SE a 1-0. Harlow's home run was the fifth homer of the weekend for the Storm and would not be the last. SE threatened to add to the lead with a pair of runners on later in the frame, but a ground out would end the inning. HSU replied in the bottom half of the first with three hits to score two runs.
Both sides went scoreless in the second, and in the top of the third, Southeastern scratched its second of the game to tie it 2-all. Harlow lined a double to right center field, and another double by Olivares scored Harlow on the next at-bat.
After giving up two runs in the bottom of the first, starting pitcher Cheek settled in and worked four scoreless frames for the Storm. During this stretch, HSU also kept the SE bats in check in the fourth and fifth innings, but one swing of the bat in the top of the sixth by McMurray blasted a home run over the center field wall to push SE ahead 3-2.
SE looked to extend its lead in the top of the seventh and find some separation with the bases loaded and one out after three straight batters reached. However, the Storm could not find a decisive hit as they headed to the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2 lead. In the bottom half, HSU loaded the bases with two outs and would score a run on an error to send the game to extra innings, 3-3. HSU found the breakthrough in the bottom of the eighth for a 4-3 win.
Southeastern (7-9, 0-3 GAC) continues with conference play next time out, as they head to Bethany to face Southern Nazarene in a three-game series, starting Friday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.
