EDINBURG, Texas – The baseball team opened its Southland Conference series against league-leading UT Rio Grande Valley with a 6-3 win on Friday night, fueled by a strong offensive performance from Rhett Hendricks and late-inning action.

Hendricks led the Huskies (13-6, 6-1 SLC) offensively with a home run and four RBIs while going 2-for-4 at the plate. In addition to Hendricks, Katcher Halligan, Matthew Leiterman, Kenneth Dutka and Jack Walker all tallied two hits. Walker and Halligan each contributed doubles with Halligan scoring a pair of runs. HCU totaled 11 hits in the game while holding the hosts to just seven.

UTRGV (16-4, 9-1 SLC) took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of a defensive miscue by the Huskies. HCU responded in the top of the second when Hendricks launched a two-run homer to left with two outs, scoring Halligan and tying the game at 2-2.

The game remained locked in a pitcher's duel through the middle innings. HCU put a runner in scoring position in the sixth when Walker doubled with two outs but he was left stranded. The Vaqueros had a few baserunners but the Huskeis were able to put down threats, includingg multiple double plays between the third and sixth innings.

The Huskies broke the tie in the seventh with Halligan leading off with a double followed by a single off the bat of Leiterman. Robert Oropeza dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over to second and third with just one out. Hendricks then came through with a clutch two-run single, giving HCU a 4-2 advantage. The Huskies extended the lead in the eighth with RBI singles from Leiterman and Oropeza to make it 6-2.

UTRGV managed to add a run in the eight but couldn't mount a full comeback with relievers Louis Castano and Ben Norton securing the 6-3 victory.

Parker Edwards earned his first win of the season on the mound, throwing six innings and allowing a pair of unearned runs while striking out three, walking one and scattering six hits. Castano threw 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on one hit with five strikeouts and two walks while Norton picked up his third save of the season with a third of an inning pitched to close it out.

The Huskies will look to clinch the series win in game two on Saturday, Mar. 22, at 6:30 p.m.