WEEKEND PREVIEW
Griffon Baseball at Henderson State Spring Invitational - Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Friday, Feb. 12; 3 p.m. at Henderson State | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 13; 11 a.m. at Ouachita Baptist | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 13; 3 p.m. vs. Arkansas Tech | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 14; 12 p.m. at Ouachita Baptist | Live Stats
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Baseball returns to Arkansas for the second straight week to take part in the Henderson State Spring Invitational. Missouri Western will play games at Henderson State, at Ouachita Baptist and a neutral site game against Arkansas Tech.
 
The Griffons will see Arkansas Tech for the second time in a week after dropping a three-game series in Russellville, Arkansas last weekend, one game to two. Missouri Western lost a lead late in game one, falling in extra innings, before taking game two on Saturday and dropping the rubber game on Sunday.
 
Missouri Western had little trouble scoring against Arkansas Tech, plating 23 runs over three games, but the Griffons surrendered 20 runs in the process. Brandon Downs led the way last weekend, batting .583 and slugging .917. Downs went 4-12 on the weekend with a double, a home run and five RBIs. Newcomer Nick Gawley went 7-13 at the plate and Jeremy Alvarado picked up five hits in 11 official at bats. Cosimo Cannella hit two home runs and drove in six runs while going 4-11 at the dish.
 
Alex Clavet picked up the win in game two. The newcomer, went five innings in his start, allowing five earned runs on five hits while striking out three. Richard Peoples went 6.1 innings in his first start as a Griffon and held Arkansas Tech to four runs on six hits with two strikeouts, but took a no decision.
 
HENDERSON STATE AT A GLANCE
The Reddies are 2-4 after a 1-2 weekend at the Houston Winter Invitational last week. Jordan Taylor is batting .391 through the first six games with three doubles and seven RBIs. Missouri Western is expected to face Luke Tebbetts on Friday. The junior carries a 2.38 ERA in 11.1 innings of work.
 
OUCHITA BAPTIST AT A GLANCE
OBU is 0-3 after dropping all three games of a series at Union University (Tenn.) last weekend. Ouachita Baptist was shutout in a doubleheader on Feb. 6 and lost 10-8 on Feb. 7. Will Hopkins leads the team with a .500 batting average but has just appeared in one game. Jakahari Howell has the highest batting average among starters at .364. The OBU staff ERA sits at 6.95 entering the HSU Invitational. Connor Reed has a 3.00 ERA after going six innings in his start last week. He struck out four and allowed two earned runs on seven hits. Connor Reed went five innings in his one start, striking out five and allowing four hits.
 
ARKANSAS TECH AT A GLANCE
The Wonder Boys are 3-3 after taking two games from Missouri Western last weekend. They will play three this weekend against MIAA opposition, with two games versus Northwest Missouri State ahead of the fourth game this season against the Griffons. Josh Watkins has led the way for Arkansas Tech with his .44 batting average. He's hit four doubles and a triple among his 12 hits. Kaleb Warden has hit .429 through the first six games with five RBIs. Among starting pitchers, Chris McKeehan's 6.75 ERA is the lowest. McKeehan is 0-0 in two starts with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Isaac Hale and Trent Armstrong have picked up the other starts, two apiece, and are both 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA.