Story courtesy of Texas Lutheran University Sports Information
APPLETON, Wis. -- Tyler Cauley belted a three-run home run and drove in a season-high five runs, and Nathan Malinovsky tossed a four-hit shutout as the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs opened their first NCAA Division III World Series with an impressive 7-0 victory Friday against The College of Wooster (Ohio).
The Bulldogs (39-9) will face Concordia University Chicago (Ill.) at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in a winner's bracket game of the four-team Pool B. Concordia Chicago defeated Swarthmore College (Pa.) 9-4 on Friday in the other Pool B contest.
Wooster fell to 40-9 with the loss to TLU. The Fighting Scots will play Swarthmore at 4:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
At Fox Cities Stadium, the Bulldogs' offense set the early tone with the three-run home run to left from Cauley. Cauley, a Third Team All-American, also doubled and went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Bulldogs' production at the plate was more than enough for Malinovsky, a First Team All-American. Malinovsky shut down The Fighting Scots, who entered the contest with the nation's highest team batting average, at .353.
Malinovsky struck out nine and walked three in improving to 12-1. He tied the school record for wins in a season.
"Obviously, Nate was pretty awesome tonight," said Greg Burnett, TLU's head coach. "He didn't walk many guys, and that was important against (Wooster), who puts up a bunch of runs."
"Tyler's home run in the first inning was big because like a lot of teams we had jitters, and that allowed us to settle down."
Thomas Varner and Ben Marvin also had three hits for the Bulldogs. Spencer Brandt contributed two of the Bulldogs' 14 total hits.
Riley Schaefer stayed at 86 hits for the season, but he contributed to the Bulldogs' scoring with an RBI sacrifice fly in the second. Chad Curtis doubled and drove in a run.
Chandler Dippman took the loss for Wooster and fell to 8-1.