Posted: Apr 30, 2026
CLEBURNE, Texas -- Hendrix pitching pushed the Warriors to an 8-3 victory over the Centenary Gents in the first elimination game of the 2026 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference SCAC Baseball Championship Saturday afternoon at La Moderna Field. Official Website l Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview
After a five-run first inning, the Warriors were near flawless on the mound, scattering three earned runs across the game to stay alive after Thursday night's elimination game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Hendrix plated five runs in the opening inning, largely thanks to a skied three-run double by Charlie Deaton.
- Ethan Hopkins scored on a Clay Menard groundout in the second to score the lone run through the first six innings for the Gents.
- Deaton tacked on a fourth RBI on a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Shaun Pope doubled and later scored in the seventh inning to make the score 8-2.
- Kyle Taylor allowed just one earned run through his six-inning start, striking out four Gents and scattering five hits.
HENDRIX STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Charlie Deaton: 1-3, 2B, 4 RBI
- Ryne Dodson: 2-3, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 1 SB
- Shaun Pope: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 SB
- Chase Harris: 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Kyle Taylor (WP): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 BB
CENTENARY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Noah Paulson: 2-4, 1 RBI
- Ethan Hopkins: 2-4, 1 run
- Clay Menard: 2 BB, 1 RBI, 1 run
- Treyson Martin (LP): 4.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 2 BB
NOTABLES
- Hendrix picked up its first SCAC Tournament win since 2011, when the Warriors advanced to the championship game. Hendrix is now 9-7 all-time in SCAC Tournament play, the second best winning percentage of any active school in the league (behind Concordia who is 3-2) and the ninth-best all time (among the 24 schools who have competed in the event). Centenary slipped to 18-21 all time.
- This was the first ever meeting between the two in SCAC Tournament competition. During the regular season, Hendrix took two of three from Centenary in a series in Conway in early March.
- Centenary's season ends with a 21-21 record.
UP NEXT
Hendrix advances in the elimination bracket and will face the lowest-seeded one-loss team in game six on Saturday, May 2, at 7:00 p.m.
