ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Ouachita Tigers dropped their final game of the 2015 regular season on Sunday, losing 8-5 to the Henderson State Reddies. The Tigers finished the regular season with an overall record of 24-15 and a Great American Conference record of 14-8.

The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the second inning, when Kyle Alexander singled through the left side to score Reuben Miller and Will Wallace. Both Miller and Wallace singled to lead off the inning, before Tyler Faught pushed them to second and third on a sacrifice bunt.

Connor Reed, who started on the mound for Ouachita, held the Reddies scoreless through the first four innings while striking out three. In the top of the fifth, however, Henderson State scored four runs on four consecutive hits, including a double and a triple. Reed struck out the final batter of the half-inning, leaving one runner on base. 

Ouachita rallied for one run in the bottom of the sixth, which started with Jace Melby reaching first on a walk. Wallace followed with a single, and after a sac-bunt by Miller, Melby scored on an RBI-groundout by Faught.

Henderson State (24-17, 16-10 GAC) responded with a four-hit, four-run seventh inning to take an 8-3 lead. The inning started with four consecutive Reddies reaching base safely, followed by a two-run double with two outs.

Alexander led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching first on an error, and Jakahari Howell was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt by Parker Norris pushed the runners to second and third, and Justin Weigle loaded the bases after he was hit a pitch. Melby then picked up an RBI with a walk, but HSU forced two pop ups to end the inning after surrendering just one run. 

Down 8-4 with two innings to play, the Tigers put runners on first and second after Faught was hit by a pitch and Ryan Hammer singled through the right side. After a double play, Howell recorded his first double of the season to score Faught. The Reddies once again escaped the inning after surrendering just one run, however. 

After a scoreless top of the ninth, Ouachita was unable to put a rally together, as the Reddies retired the next three batters to win the game and take the series, 2-1.

Reed (3-2) was handed the loss for Ouachita, despite pitching six innings and striking out six. Matt Sinclair, Zach Gloff, Josh Reeves, Tripp Cecil and Lance Cullum also spent time on the mound for the Tigers. 

Wallace led the team with two hits in the game, and Alexander recorded a team-high two runs batted in. 

The Tigers (24-15, 14-8 GAC) were in second place coming into Sunday and will await their final position in the GAC standings until Sunday's games are completed. The GAC Tournament is next on the Tigers' schedule. The tournament is in Enid, Okla., and will begin on May 2.