Alva Review-Courier -

SHAWNEE, Okla. — Drake Salsman gave Henderson State an excellent start in frigid conditions on Saturday, but Oklahoma Baptist broke open a tie game with four runs in the eighth to win the rubber match 6-2 and take series from the Reddies.

Henderson used three singles from Bryson Haskins, Brandon Pollock, and Blake Wynn to score two runs in the third inning and go in front 2-0, but the Bison answered in the bottom half, as two Reddie errors led to two unearned runs for OKBU and leveled the score.

Salsman allowed just two hits over the next four innings and struck out five to help keep the game tied, but things went south for the Reddies when their starter was pulled in the eighth, as OKBU plated four runs on four hits — two of which went for extra bases — to seize a 6-2 advantage. HSU went in order in the ninth as the Bison took the series two games to one.

In a game that was 34 degrees at first pitch, the Reddies out-hit the high-powered offense of Oklahoma Baptist 8-7, but stranded eight baserunners and had no extra base hits. Pollock and Haskins each had two hits and a run scored in the game to lead HSU.

Salsman's longest outing of the season was one his best, as the junior transfer pitched seven full innings for HSU, allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out seven batters. He held OKBU, who scored 44 runs in a three-game series last weekend, to just one hit through 5 2/3 innings on Saturday in a no-decision.

The Reddies play again on Tuesday, when they travel to Jackson, Tennessee, to face Union University at 2 p.m. HSU returns home next weekend, when they host Southern Nazarene in a three-game series at Clyde Berry Field. Henderson and SNU will play a single game on Friday at 6 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.