AUSTIN, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' baseball team came away with a split on opening day, defeating Texas Lutheran, 10-4, before falling by the same 10-4 score to Concordia on the first day of the Mike Gardner Classic in Austin.
 
Game 1
 
In the first game of the day, the Cowboys beat former conference rival Texas Lutheran, 10-4.
 
Senior centerfielder Nick Ellington had a huge day at the plate for the Cowboys. He drove in the first run of the game in the second inning with an RBI single, added a solo home run in the fourth inning and had the big hit in the eighth inning with a three-run double to give the Cowboys a 7-3 lead.
 
Cole Antonelli had a two-run single in the second inning for HSU and Gannon Azios had an RBI single in the ninth and Sam Buchkowski had an RBI fielder's choice in the ninth to push the lead to 10-4.
 
Senior pitcher Caidon Livingston worked five innings and allowed just one earned run to pick up the win. He scattered five hits and struck out six. Caleb Smith worked one and one-third innings of relief and freshman Jace Martinez saw his first action as a Cowboy working one and two-third innings of relief. Johnny Follett worked a scoreless ninth.
 
Diego Vinton (1-1) allowed four runs over seven innings to take the loss for TLU. Chase Bourgeois and Adam Peavey led the Bulldogs with two hits each. TLU fell to 3-1 with the loss.
 
Ellington and Kyler Reed had three hits each for HSU and Azios and Luke Kirkbride had two hits each.
 
Game 2
Concordia jumped out to a 7-0 lead after three innings and coasted to victory.
 
The Cowboys did not get their first hit of the game until the sixth inning when Brock Calvillo had a single for his first hit as a Cowboy. He later scored on a sacrifice fly from Jeremy Colon in the inning.
Grant Mitzelfelt took the loss allowing five runs (two earned) over one and two-third innings. Tristan Boedecker worked his first inning out of the Cowboy bullpen. Guy George worked one and one-third scoreless inning. Caleb Robbins, Grayson Bearden and Kolten Kitchens also worked out of the bullpen.
 
HSU scored three times in the eighth inning. Caden Ramsey had an RBI single in his first career at-bat. Another run scored on a passed ball and a third run scored on a double play.
 
Braylan Vaughan led the way with two hits for the Cowboys. Efren Sanchez had four hits for the Tornados.
 
HSU will play the same two teams on Saturday with the TLU game starting at 2:30 and the Concordia game slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
 
 
 
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