CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Adam Browett scored on a wild pitch from Russell Brewer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie to lead Austin Peay to a 5-4 win over Vanderbilt Tuesday night at Raymond C Hand Park.
Browett walked with one out in the eighth and after a fly out, stole second base. Catcher Andrew Giobbi’s throw to second on the steal attempt deflected off of Browett and into the outfield, allowing Browett to move to third. He then scored on reliever Russell Brewer’s pitch that bounced short of the plate.
Austin Peay improved to 22-18, while Vanderbilt dropped its third consecutive game to fall to 32-12 on the year.
Richie Goodenow (2-1) allowed an unearned run in 0.2 innings of relief and was charged with the loss while David Vicini pitched a scoreless eighth to get his first win of the year.
Zach Gerler struck out two batters in the ninth including Jason Esposito with the tying run at second to end the game and picked up his ninth save of the season.
Esposito and Giobbi led VU with two hits each.
VU got on the board in the third as Connor Harrell led off with a solo homer to left, his third round-tripper of the year. Esposito later added a two-run double down the right field line to make it 3-0.
Giobbi’s solo homer in the sixth put the Dores on top by a 4-0 score.
With one swing, the Govs tied the game in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of Matt Kole’s grand-slam homer to right off of reliever Chase Reid. Reed Harper led off the inning with a walk and then reached second on a throwing error by Anthony Gomez who fielded Jon Clinard’s grounder up the middle and tried to flip the ball to shortstop Brian Harris. The throw sailed wide, killing a possible double play opportunity. Jared Delong hit a bloop single to right-center before Kole golfed a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right, his seventh homer of the year.
Grayson Garvin was solid in his first start of the year throwing five innings of four-hit shutout baseball with four strikeouts and no walks in the no-decision.
The Commodores finished their six game road trip with a 3-3 record. VU will return home and host Georgia in a three-game Southeastern Conference series starting on Friday at 6 p.m. The teams will play at 6 p.m. on Saturday in a game televised by CSS, before closing the set out on Sunday at 1 p.m.
