NASHVILLE, Tenn.— David Macias scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead Vanderbilt to a 7-6 come from behind win over Belmont Tuesday night at Hawkins Field.
Vanderbilt rallied for its 17th come from behind victory and improved to 30-5 overall, while Belmont fell to 18-14.
With the game tied at 6-6, Macias led off the ninth with a double down the right field line. Alex Feinberg then laid down a sacrifice bunt to second base, allowing Macias to move to third. Feinberg reached as well as the first baseman dropped the throw from second. Carlo Testa (3-2) then intentionally walked de la Osa before throwing a wild pitch to Ryan Flaherty with the bases loaded allowing Macias to score the game winner.
“Luck comes in numerous ways, it wasn’t lucky that we had guys on base,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin when asked about luck being a key to the win. “Three years ago we would have never won that game.”
The Commodores trailed 6-4 going into the bottom of the eighth when Dominic de la Osa led off with a single to center. Ryan Flaherty grounded out, moving de la Osa to second and then Andrew Giobbi followed with a RBI triple to left to make it 6-5. Matt Meingasner then laced a RBI single to left to tie the game.
“We won at the end, but to tie it up in the eighth was the big inning,” said Corbin. “The game was getting to the point could we do it tonight or no and that inning was clutch for us.”
Belmont jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first courtesy of a RBI triple by Carlo Testa and a RBI single by Derek Wiley.
Jonathan White got the `Dores on the board in the second with a solo homer to right, his second of the year.
Ben Petsch’s RBI double in the third extended the lead to 3-1.
The Commodores rallied to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Andrew Giobbi started things with a one out single to left and scored on a RBI double by Matt Meingasner to make it 3-2. Jonathan White’s sacrifice fly to right then tied the game.
Jacobson gave up three runs on eight hits in four innings of work with four strikeouts and no walks in the no decision.
Kane Simmons solo homer in the top of the sixth put the Bruins back on top 4-3. The Commodores rallied right back in the bottom half to tie the game when Dominic de la Osa singled, advanced to second on a fielding error and scored on a RBI single by Ryan Flaherty.
The Bruins got the lead back in the seventh when Ben Petsch spanked a two-run homer to left off Cameron Betourne to take a 6-4 lead.
Betourne gave up three runs on four hits in 2.1 innings with five strikeouts and a walk. Cody Crowell came on in the seventh and pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless, hitless relief. Stephen Shao recorded two outs in the ninth with Casey Weathers (6-2) recording the final out in the frame to pick up the win.
The Commodores will hit the road this weekend for a three game series against Kentucky starting at 5:30 CT on Friday night.
Belmont 201 001 200 -6 13 4
Vanderbilt 010 200 021 -7 13 0
Paetznick, Diaz (5), Stanley (6), Testa (8) and Petsch, Manifold. Jacobson, Betourne (4), Crowell (7), Shao (9), Weathers (9) and Giobbi, Robin. W- Weathers 6-2, L- Testa 3-2. Sv- None. HR- BEL: Petsch (8), Simmons (6) VU: White (2)
