HOUSTON -- Tarleton State opened the 2018 Houston Winter Invitational with a thrilling 10-inning, 11-9 victory over Henderson State on Friday that didn't come easy for the visiting Texans, who led by eight runs after 7 1/2 innings.
Dylan Lemons homered twice and Jake Hasbrouck also homered for the Texans, who outhit the Reddies, 17-6.
Henderson State tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with six runs, in the season opener for both college teams, which are competing in the sixth annual event at Minute Maid Park. Astros owner Jim Crane has spearheaded the invitational since its inception, held at the home of the 2017 World Series champions.
Crane pitched from 1973-76 for Central Missouri, which again is the cohost along with the Astros. The three-day, six-team event for NCAA Division II baseball teams consists of nine games and concludes on Sunday.
Tarleton State never trailed and led 9-1 going to the bottom of the eighth and 9-3 in the ninth. After the Reddies' six-run uprising, the Texans scored twice in the top of the 10th for the decisive runs, earning Connor Fletcher the win in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Lemons collected four RBIs. Hasbrouck had three hits, as did teammates Ruben Rodriguez and Blake Adams, who had three doubles, drove in three and scored three times. Tarleton State starter Evan Pontley did not give up an earned run in five innings, allowing only two hits and one run with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Nolan Ryan and Jordan Harris had two RBIs each for Henderson State, which got a double from Dylan McCain for the Reddies' only extra-base hit. Brandon Pollock and Joe Myers scored twice. Taylor Langston, who pitched the 10th inning, was tagged for the loss. Starter Bryant Haralson allowed seven runs -- six earned -- and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven with no walks.
For more information on the tournament or to purchase tickets, please visit Astros.com/Invitational.
Texas A&M-Kingsville 3, Colorado-Mines 0
Pitching is expected to be a team strength for Texas A&M-Kingsville this season. Based on a shutout win over Colorado School of Mines on Friday, that assessment seems spot on.
Preston Plovanich allowed only four hits over seven innings, and two relievers threw one inning each as the Javelinas shut down the Orediggers in the second game of the tournament.
The left-handed Plovanich looked strong with three strikeouts and one walk. Last season, Plovanich had six wins, second on the staff, and five complete games, the most in the Lone Star Conference. Seth Hubert allowed one hit in the eighth inning and Garrett Alexander finished the season opener with a hitless top of the ninth, which included two walks, for the save.
Manny Loredo hit a solo homer as both teams had five hits each. Dylan Hutcheson and Alex Gonzalez added RBIs, and Austin Ingraham and Levi Zents both scored.

A&M-Kingsville scored two runs in the fifth off starter Walter Pennington and an eighth-inning run off Max Moxley, who had six strikeouts in his three innings. In five innings, the left-handed Pennington gave up two runs and four hits.
For the Orediggers, Colton Wardle and Jace Selsor had two hits each.
Central Missouri 8, St. Mary's (Texas) 3
Freshman Donovan Ditto drove in four runs with a two-run home run and a two-run double to lift Central Missouri to an 8-3 win over St. Mary's (Texas) in the third and final game of the day.
Ditto, the team's No. 9 hitter, lifted his homer into the Crawford Boxes in left field to stake the Mules to a 3-0 lead in the second inning off St. Mary's starter Fernando Fernandez-Beltran (0-1), and his double was part of a three-run eighth inning that put the game out of reach.
Ryan Toliver also homered for Central Missouri, which never trailed and collected 10 hits. Meanwhile, Angel Vega's homer to lead off the fourth was one of five hits for the Rattlers, who then cut the Mules' lead to a run, 4-3, with two runs in the top of the seventh without the benefit of a hit.

Ben Kelsch got the win in what was Central Missouri's season opener, allowing one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one. Fernandez-Beltran gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Central Missouri center fielder Mason Janvrin reached base four times on two hits and two walks, and stole three bases from his leadoff spot. Collin Nevil added two hits, including a triple, for Central Missouri.