Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Baseball faces a top tier team in the Great American Conference this weekend when Henderson State visits Weatherford
- The Reddies enter the weekend tied for second in the conference and three games back from the top spot
- Meanwhile, SWOSU sits fifth in the league and three games behind HSU and one game ahead of Oklahoma Baptist who holds the sixth and final playoff spot
- Last season the Dawgs were winless in five tries against Henderson State after being swept during the regular season and ousted from the GAC Postseason – all by the Reddies   
 
The Opponent
Henderson State (24-13, 16-7 GAC)
- Despite ranking 11th in the conference in batting average at .264 as a team, the Reddies bolster the third best earned run average around the league on the mound with a 4.73 team earned run average
- HSU also leads the conference in fielding percentage with a .969 team percentage, having committed just 38 errors this season in 36 games
- On the base paths, HSU ranks third in stolen bases with 45 steals in 58 tries
 
The Coaches
Zack Saunders (174-144, 14th season)
- Two-time Great American Conference Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2013 and 2016
- Inducted into the Muskogee Athletic Hall of Fame on October 13, 2016
- Earned his 100th career victory at SWOSU against Northwestern Oklahoma State on April 24, 2015
- Previously served as an assistant at SWOSU for six seasons under former Bulldog coaches Charles Teasley and Scott Selby
- Played collegiately at Kansas State following two seasons at Connors State playing on nationally-ranked junior college teams
 
HSU: Cody Hooten (202-191-1, 8th season)
- Sits just three wins away from tying the program's all-time winngest coach
- Prior to being the head coach, Hooten spent three seasons as the Reddie's assistant coach where he served as hitting instructor and chief recruiter
- Went to the NCAA Division II World Series in 2015 as the most successful season in the program's history

SWOSU Notes
- Around the conference, SWOSU currently ranks fourth in hitting (.298 team average), fifth in pitching (5.20 team ERA) and fourth in fielding (.960 fielding percentage)
- Cooper Cantwell recently picked up his first GAC Pitcher of the Week honor after his complete game shutout over Oklahoma Baptist last week
- Cantwell has back-to-back complete game shutouts and currently has a 17-inning scoreless inning streak
- The offense is being aided by Bryan Miranda (57) and Alex Pimentel (56) who rank first and second in the conference in hits
- Pimentel also leads the league in batting average at .400, while Miranda is fourth at .390
- Three other Bulldogs in the everyday lineup are hitting above the .300 mark: Brady Burtner (.333), Jason Nichols (.310), Brooks Benson (.301)
- Nichols is riding a team leading six-game hitting streak coming into the new weekend, while Benson has reached base safely in each of the last eight games  
- The pitching staff has eight arms who have logged at least 20 innings this season  
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU will play a midweek game on the road next Tuesday against Oklahoma Christian before then traveling to Arkadelphia, Arkansas over the weekend to take on Ouachita in conference action