Matthew Hickey
Matthew Hickey

Texas Lutheran opens 2020 season with impressive 12-2 victory over Hendrix (Ark.)

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs opened the 2020 baseball season with an impressive 12-2 win Friday night over Hendrix College (Ark.).
 
Playing in the Rusty Greer / Jackie Moore Classic at AirHogs Stadium, TLU received 6-2/3 strong innings of work from left-hander Matthew Hickey before blowing open the game in the seventh and eighth innings by scoring a combined 10 runs.
 
Hickey (1-0) struck out nine in his first start of 2020 and allowed just one earned run. He allowed just one hit and worked around five walks.
 
TLU, ranked in the top 25 in two NCAA Division III polls, moved to 1-0 overall. Hendrix dropped to 0-1.
 
With TLU holding a 2-1 lead in the seventh, TLU put up six runs in the bottom of the frame. Austin Colon started the scoring with a bases-loaded walk.
 
After Zac Nguyen scored on a wild pitch, Tyler Cauley drove in two with a bases-loaded single and came all the way around to score on the play (along with Collin Docker) after the ball was misplayed in left field.
 
In the four-run eighth, freshman Tyler Post doubled to right to score Mario De Leon, and senior Spencer Brandt doubled into right to score Post and Docker.
 
Caleb Maly capped the Bulldogs' scoring in the eighth with an RBI single through the right side.
 
Sophomore shortstop Joe Jimenez gave TLU the lead in the fourth with an RBI double down the left-field line. Post and Cauley scored on the play.

Post, starting at first in his collegiate debut, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk. The senior Cauley, starting in center for the first time in his career, went 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.
 
TLU continues play in the Rusty Greer / Jackie Moore Classic with a 2:30 p.m. contest Saturday against George Fox (Ore.)