We apologize that we are a bit behind on getting this published to our readers, but former Warren Lumberjack Baseball standout Payton Byrd was named the GAC Pitcher of the Week in late April. The following is a press release from Henderson State:
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Following a big series win over Ouachita Baptist this past weekend, Saturday’s star Payton Byrd was named the Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday.
This is the first weekly conference award Byrd has garnered in his career and joins Reese Weaks as the second pitcher on HSU’s staff to earn the honor in 2024.
The third-year righty from Warren, Arkansas, who began his career at Henderson on the football team playing special teams, delivered an all-time outing in Saturday’s baseball doubleheader, starting off the day with a one-inning save and finishing it off with a two-inning win in relief.
With the Reddies needing to sweep the twin bill against cross-street rival Ouachita Baptist, act one of Byrd’s performance came with HSU holding a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth. The Natural State product entered the game only to issue a lead-off ground-out before striking out the final two Tiger batters for his fourth save of the season.
A second act for the ages still awaited spectators at Clyde Berry Field as Byrd was called on once again in the series finale, this time with the red-and-gray facing a 1-0 deficit. In the top of the sixth of the seven-inning contest, OUA loaded the bases via a hit, a wild pitch and two walks while still having three outs to work with.
Similar to the previous game’s outing, Byrd struck out the first batter he faced before a walk plated the Tigers’ second run of the game. The junior’s second strikeout of that frame came one batter later following a heads-up defensive play from HSU for the second out as the damage was kept at a minimum, leaving a 2-0 deficit.
Henderson’s offense came through with three runs in bottom of the sixth, leaving HSU three outs away from claiming the series and a first-round home series in the following weekend’s GAC Tournament. All three outs came courtesy of Byrd’s right arm as the second-year Reddie baseball player struck out the side.
In his two appearances on the day, Byrd picked up his second win and fourth save of the season, logging seven strikeouts in three innings of work without giving up a single hit.
Thanks to the heroic efforts of its relief pitcher, Henderson State now heads to the postseason for the 2024 GAC Tournament where it will host fifth-seeded Southern Arkansas in a best-of-three series beginning Friday, May 3.
