LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky 9-4 Sunday afternoon to complete the suspended Saturday night contest and in the process captured the three game series.
With the win the Commodores improved to 32-6 overall and 9-6 in SEC play, tying them with South Carolina for first place in the East. The Wildcats dropped to 26-9-1 and 6-8-1 in league action.
The Commodores had a 6-4 lead in the ninth before scoring three runs, capped by a two-run homer by Ryan Davis to make it 9-4.
Brad French was the top run producer with three hits and three RBI while Pedro Alvarez added four hits in the winning cause.
The game was completed after the scheduled series finale on Sunday. It was suspended in the top of the sixth with runners on first and third and no outs and the Commodores holding a slim 2-1 lead.
UK took advantage of two Vanderbilt errors to plate a run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
The Commodores took the lead in the second on a two-out two-run double by Brad French. Matt Meingasner started the rally with a two-out single through the right side and advanced to second when Alex Feinberg drew a walk. French then lined a shot to center that centerfielder Antoine DeJesus could not get while diving, allowing both base runners to score.
Andrew Giobbi led off the sixth with a double and Shea Robin followed with a single off of starter Andrew Albers. The game then continued on Sunday with a new pitcher, Duran Ferguson, facing pinch hitter Jonathan White. Ferguson struck out White and then Alex Feinberg came through with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-1. Brad French, David Macias and Pedro Alvarez had consecutive RBI singles to make it 5-1.
Kentucky stormed back with three runs of its own via the long ball to make it 5-4. Sawyer Carroll had a two-run homer off of reliever Cody Crowell and Anthony Ottrando added a solo shot, his first career homer.
Brad French’s RBI double down the leftfield line in the eighth gave the Commodores a 6-4 lead. Ryan Davis led off the inning with a single and scored an out later on French’s hit.
Mike Minor (6-0) was solid in the starting effort, holding the Wildcats to two hits and one unearned run in five innings of action before the game was suspended. He struck out two and walked one and retired the last 14 batters he faced in order.
Crowell picked up his first save of the season as he pitched the four innings on Sunday, giving up three runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Vanderbilt 020 003 013 – 9 14 2
Kentucky 100 003 000 – 4 6 1
Minor, Crowell (6) and Robin. Albers, Ferguson (6), Paxton (7), Howe (9) and Howe, Coughlin. W- Minor 6-0, L- Albers 5-1. Sv- Crowell (1). HR- VU: Davis (1) UK: Carroll (2), Ottrando (1)
