SEGUIN, Texas -- Texas Lutheran Baseball moved to 4-0 with an 8-3 non-conference victory Friday night over Hardin-Simmons.

Junior third baseman Nick Gardoni (Salinas, Calif./Palma) hit a two-run home run, went 3-for-4, scored a pair of runs, and made a key defensive play that saved runs in the seventh.

With TLU holding a 6-2 lead in the seventh, HSU loaded the bases with one out. After a strikeout put TLU a play away from getting out of the jam unscathed, HSU's John Tople smashed a baseball down the third base line. Gardoni was able to stop the ball from going into the outfield and into the left-field corner. Gardoni's play saved two, perhaps three, runs.

The runner from third scored on the Tople infield hit, making the TLU lead 6-3 with the bases still loaded. Cody Rimko (Lewisville/Lewisville) struck out the next batter to preserve the three-run lead.

Gardoni homered to right field in the eighth to push the Bulldogs' lead to five.

Rimko picked up the win in relief. He improved to 2-0. Dylan Murrell (Tomball/Memorial) tossed a perfect eighth and ninth and collected his first save of 2019. 

Landon Weatherly (Grandbury/Grandbury) started for TLU and went 5-2/3. He allowed two earned runs, walked one, and struck out five.

Thomas Varner (Austin/Bowie) walked three times and scored a run, and Tyler Cauley (Mont Belvieu/Barbers Hill) walked two times and scored a pair of runs.

Designated hitter Dalton Kinder (Cedar Park/Vista Ridge) went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Spencer Brandt (Yoakum/Yoakum) knocked in two runs, with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single.

TLU and HSU play a noon doubleheader Saturday at Katt-Isbel Field. TLU will have live video and live stats for both games on tlubulldogs.com.