ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – SWOSU Baseball trailed Henderson State 12-1 before battling back and sending the game-tying run to the plate in the eighth inning, but the deficit proved to be too large as the Bulldogs eventually fell to the Reddies 14-8 in game one of the three-game series.

The Dawgs will regroup and prepare for Saturday's series concluding doubleheader set to start at noon in Arkadelphia. Despite Friday's result, two wins Saturday would still secure a series victory.

The lineup made a run at things late beginning in the seventh inning. Facing a potential run rule trailing 12-1, SWOSU got into the Reddie bullpen and scored three runs in the seventh and added four more in the eighth to make things interesting with five hits and six walks.

Trailing 12-8 in the eighth, with two outs and the bases loaded, a fly out to left ended the comeback.  

Henderson State tacked on two runs of insurance in the bottom half of the ninth and SWOSU went quietly in the ninth to end things.

Grant Ewy (L, 0-2) got the start before being relieved in the third inning. Philip Sanders, Logan Lagasse, Andrew Beissner, and Wyatt Sharry all made appearances in relief.

Offensively, SWOSU finished with nine hits. Five of those came during the seventh and eighth inning push. Caleb Clines and Alex Rice both finished with two hits apiece. No Bulldog had an extra-base hit on Friday.

The team jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Jackson Syring walked to lead leadoff and Reece Burke hit him in with two outs. That was before Henderson State scored in six consecutive innings to build the 12-1 lead.