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Dores win wild game, sweep Rams
Nashville, Tenn. –
Vanderbilt won a back-and-forth game Sunday 12-8 to finish off a
three-game sweep of Rhode Island at Hawkins Field.
The
Commodores (4-7) rallied for nine runs over the team’s final three
innings to beat the Rams (4-5) and finish off the Dores’ first sweep of
the season. After Rhode Island had taken the lead in the top of the
sixth, Vanderbilt rallied for four runs in the bottom half to take the
lead sending nine men to the plate. A RBI-single from Spencer Navin
tied the game and Tony Kemp’s RBI-single put VU in front. Anthony Gomez
followed with a two-run double to cap the rally and push the Vanderbilt
lead to 7-4.
However, the Rams were not done, scoring four
runs of their own in the seventh inning to claim a lead at the stretch.
Once again the Vanderbilt offense answered the challenge, pushing three
runs across in the bottom of the seventh to reclaim the lead for good.
Riley Reynolds led off the seventh with a single and Andrew Harris’
double to deep right field put runners on second and third. A Rhode
Island error allowed the tying run to score before Kemp’s single up the
middle scored Harris to put VU back in front. Conrad Gregor added a
run-scoring fielder’s choice to finish off the three-run rally. The
Commodores then added two insurance runs in the eighth, including
Navin’s third hit of the day and fourth RBI.
Navin led the way
for Vandy going 3-for-6 with four RBI, three runs scored and his first
career home run, a game-tying blast to lead off the bottom of the
first. Navin finished the weekend 7-for-13 with four extra-base hits,
five runs scored and six RBI. Kemp added two hits and two RBI to extend
his hitting streak to eight games. Harris scored three runs and knocked
in a run, reaching base four times. Reynolds added two hits for his
second two-hit outing in his last three games. Eight of VU’s nine
starters collected hits on the afternoon with the team finishing with
12 hits in the game. Pat Fortunato led the Rams with three runs scored
and three hits to go along with his two RBI.
Will Clinard (1-0)
picked up the win in relief for the Commodores working 2.1 scoreless
innings. Mike Bradstreet (0-1) was pinned with the loss, giving up five
runs, four earned, on five hits over 2.2 innings. Vanderbilt starter
Sam Selman tossed five innings allowing four runs, two earned, on seven
hits with seven strikeouts. Four VU pitchers combined to strike out 13
Rhode Island batters in the win.
The game featured nine lead
changes in the first seven innings and sloppy defense on both sides as
the two teams combined for eight errors, including five by Vanderbilt
to match a season-high.
The Commodores return to action
Tuesday at Belmont to take on the Bruins in the first of two games
between the cross-town rivals this season. First pitch is slated for 4
p.m. at Rose Park.
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