SWOSU faces a critical opponent this week as they travel to Arkadelphia to take on Henderson State, kicking off the final three weeks of the 2026 regular season with hopes of playing their way into the top eight and securing a postseason berth for the second consecutive year.

With spring weather in the forecast for Arkansas, the series has shifted its format. The doubleheader is now set to be played Friday, April 17 beginning at 4:00 pm. Game three will be played Saturday at noon. 

The Dawgs have lost seven of their last eight after narrowly dropping the series final to Ouachita Baptist, 6-5, despite holding a 5-1 lead midway through the game. This week proves pivotal, as Henderson State currently sits as the last team in the GAC Tournament field and is three games ahead of the Bulldogs in the standings. A series win by the Dawgs would propel them right back into the mix heading into the final weeks.

Since joining the GAC, Henderson State holds a 29-19 advantage over the Bulldogs. In Arkadelphia, that mark shifts to 15-8, still in favor of the Reddies. Last season in Weatherford, the Dawgs swept Henderson State for the first time, with the three straight wins also representing the longest win streak for SWOSU in the series.

The Dawgs are currently hitting .264 on the year, placing them eighth in the league, while Henderson State sits one spot ahead in seventh with a .273 average. In the circle, SWOSU ranks seventh in the GAC with a 4.01 ERA, while Henderson State is fifth with a 3.74 ERA.

Where SWOSU makes up the difference is in the field, boasting a .960 fielding percentage, which places them in the top half of the GAC. Henderson State ranks 11th with a .953 fielding percentage. SWOSU has also turned 17 double plays on the year, the second-most in the league.

Last week, Josie Oakley paced the offense, going 5-6 at the plate while drawing a walk. Maddie Rahon went 6-10 while collecting six RBIs, highlighted by two home runs, including a grand slam in game three. Blaire Gentry continued her dominant stretch, throwing 11 innings and allowing 11 hits and just four earned runs while walking two and striking out five.