ENID, Okla. – Henderson State hit four home runs, including a third-inning grand slam by Hayden Lessenberry, and the Reddies defeated Harding 11-2 on Saturday in the opening round of the Great American Conference Tournament at David Allen Memorial Ballpark.
Harding (26-24) will play Sunday at 4 p.m. against Southern Arkansas, who defeated Southeastern Oklahoma 10-3 in Saturday's first game. Henderson State (25-17) will play Ouachita Baptist on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Harding took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second with Jaxon Mohr driving in Davis Richardson with a ground out and Alan Copeland scored on Kyler Offenbacker's single to left center.
Henderson State took the lead for good in the fifth on Lessenberry's grand slam. Claude Johnson, Tadarious Hawkins and Carlos Rodriguez hit solo home runs for the Reddies.
Harding starter Collin Campbell (5-4) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. Henderson State starter Colton Lorance (5-3) was the winner. He pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits.
Freshman Reed Roberts pitched four innings of relief for Harding, allowing three runs in four innings, and freshman Hayden Lowe got the final four outs for the Bisons.