Bison Split Two at Henderson State

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. -- Oklahoma Baptist inched closer to a postseason berth after it split a Great American Conference doubleheader against Henderson State on Sunday.

The Bison fell 8-6 in the opener before prevailing 11-9 in game two. With the results, OBU moved its record to 27-17 overall and 15-14 in the league. 
 

GAME ONE
 

The Bison were outstanding in the first as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Alex Schroeder provided an RBI double while Troy Shields rocked a three-run homer to left, pushing the score to 4-0. That was Shields' 14th home run of the season, a personal-best. 
 

Plus, Camron Grant drew a bases-loaded walk which plated Spencer Dickinson. 
 

Henderson responded with three runs of its own in the first, but after that, starter Brek Galbreath was very good. From the second through fifth frames, Galbreath and company kept the Reddies scoreless and even got a bases-loaded, 4-6-3 double play in the fifth to keep the score 5-3. 
 

On top of that double-play, Galbreath induced three more groundouts to help maintain the OBU lead. 
 

As for the Bison's offensive attack, which chased Reddies starter Kyle Williams from the game before he secured an out, following the first frame, they scored just once more. Ryan Galvan and Baylor Brumley tossed the next seven, allowed just one run, struck out six and got a combined 15 ground-ball and fly-ball outs. 
 

OBU placed just two in scoring position from the second through seventh innings which allowed the hosts to take the lead. 
 

The Bison's 5-3 lead was then erased with four runs by HSU in the sixth. In addition to a Cal Jones sacrifice fly which forced a pitching change for the green and gold, a three-run homer by Luke Rice put the Reddies ahead for good. 
 

There was a great chance for the Bison to tie the game in the eighth. OBU had bases loaded with just one out, however, back-to-back outs to left allowed just one more to score. 
 

GAME TWO 
 

Despite blowing an 8-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, the Bison pulled through to claim an 11-9 result in the second contest. 
 

Well before that fifth frame, OBU, again, had an awesome first inning. It included an RBI triple by Jayden Shafer and homers by Schroeder, Isiah Lissade and Jacob Campbell. OBU had an 8-0 lead just like that. 
 

On the mound, Nolan Feazle was plugging along. Henderson State scored a single run through the first four innings as Feazle got seven fly-ball outs and scattered three hits.  Then the fifth inning rolled around. 
 

The host Reddies got base hits with their first four batters and with an error by OBU, trailed 8-4. After that, HSU scored four more against two Bison relievers. Logan Cowart's two-run single and outfield error in the same sequence tied the game. 
 

With a seven-run advantage gone, OBU regrouped. Just an inning later, Jaden Wiley provided the clutch, go-ahead hit. A triple to left field scored Will Joseph and Shields pushing OBU back in front 10-8. Campbell then delivered a sacrifice fly which plated Wiley. 
 

Cameron Pool then closed the game on the mound for his fifth win of the year. He faced 10 batters down the stretch, got four strikeouts, allowed an unearned run and watched as the Bison defense got a pair of groundouts and one flyout. 
 

On The Horizon
 

On April 22 at noon, the two teams will close the series. A Bison win will clinch a spot in the GAC Tournament set to start May 3.