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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri pounded out 15 hits and broke open an 8-7 game with four runs in the eighth to defeat Vanderbilt 12-8 Tuesday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Commodores (18-7) and spoiled the return of preseason All-American third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez suffered a broken bone in the first game of the season against Oregon State on Feb. 22 and missed the past 23 games before making his return to the starting lineup against the Redhawks. He went 1-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
The Redhawks (11-8) built a 6-1 lead through three and a half innings of play and continued to answer Vanderbilt’s numerous rally attempts.
The final blow came in the eighth after the Commodores had scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 8-7. Nick Harris and Jim Glocke led off the frame with singles on reliever Richie Goodenow to knock him out of the game. Drew Hayes came on and got a fly out before giving up back-to-back RBI singles to Tyrell Cummings and Matt Wagner to make it 10-7. Hayes got another fly out before hitting the next two batters including Daniel Schuh in the head with the bases loaded to bring in another run. Brett Jacobson came in and got Tony Spencer to ground to first, but Steven Liddle couldn’t handle it allowing the 12th run to score.
The Commodores tried to rally back in the bottom half, scoring a run on a Dominic de la Osa RBI single to make it 12-8. They eventually loaded the bases with two outs but pinch hitter Curt Casali struck out to end the threat.
SEMO reliever Jake Kemper threw the final 2.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts to pick up the save.
The Redhawks got on the board first with three runs in the third to take a 3-0 lead. Glocke, Cummings and Wagner had RBI singles off of VU starter Taylor Hill to account for the scoring.
VU scored a run in the bottom half when Pedro Alvarez doubled and scored on Ryan Flaherty’s RBI single to make it 3-1.
SEMO responded with Nick Harris’ three-run homer to left off of Hill in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-1.
Hill (3-2) ended up giving up six runs, five earned, on six hits in 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and two walks in the loss.
The Commodores rallied back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 6-4. Flaherty and Alex Feinberg both walked with the bases loaded and Liddle added a sac fly RBI for the third run.
Southeast Missouri tallied two runs in the sixth and David Macias added a RBI single in the bottom half to make it 8-5.
VU cut it down to one in the seventh scoring one run on a wild pitch and another on a RBI single by Parker Hanks to make it 8-7.
Redhawk starter Dustin Renfrow (2-1) picked up the win in a controlled start, allowing just one run on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
Macias, de la Osa, Feinberg and Hanks led the Commodores with two hits each, while Jim Glocke led Southeast Missouri with four hits on the day.
Vanderbilt will be back in action Wednesday at Middle Tennessee at 6 p.m. The team will then hit the road against Ole Miss this weekend for a three-game set.
Southeast Missouri 003 302 040 – 12 15 1
Vanderbilt 001 031 210 – 8 12 3
Renfrow, Syberg (4), Strahlendorf (5), Poole (6), Kemper (7) and Klocke. Hill, Lamm (4), Goodenow (8), Hayes (8), Jacobson (8) and Giobbi, Robin W- Renfrow 2-1, L-Hill 3-2. Sv- Kemper (3) HR: SEMO: Harris (4).
