AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas baseball team opened the 2018 season in walk-off fashion as Bret Leiferman's bloop single brought home the winning run to defeat George Fox 5-4 on Thursday.

After the Bruins tied the game in the top half of the ninth at 4-all, the Tornados looked to prevent extra innings as they came to bat.

Tyler Page led off with a single, followed by a Jacob Gwynne sac bunt to move him over to second.

Casen Novak followed with a walk and then a strikeout brought Leiferman to the plate with a chance to win the game. On a 1-0 count, he would knock a shallow fly ball to left, dropping in between two George Fox players as Page rounded third as the winning run for CTX.

It was the third hit on the night for Leiferman and his second RBI of the game as the Tornados won its first of four games they will play as host of the Concordia Classic at Tornado Field.

After a rough three-run first inning, Matthew Williams settled down to throw three straight scoreless innings while striking out six total batters.

Caleb Nicholson, who came in for Daniel Lewis in the ninth, picked up his first win as a Tornado.

Up next, CTX will have a day off before returning to the field on Saturday taking on Pacific Lutheran at 11 a.m. followed by a game against Rhodes at 6 p.m.