NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the better part of three innings, No. 8 Vanderbilt had no answer for Florida starter Tyler Dyson. Then, center fielder Cooper Davis stepped up to lead off the fourth.
Davis reached on a bunt single and three batters later, Stephen Scott roped a grand slam off the right-field foul pole to erase an early two-run deficit and highlight a 14-2 win against the No. 14 Gators on Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Field. The victory capped Vandy’s first sweep of Florida since 2007.
The Commodores (19-5, 4-2 SEC) batted .351 as a team in three games against the Gators (16-10, 1-5 SEC), outscoring the club 34-6. Stephen Scott and Austin Martin each registered six hits while Ethan Paul paced the squad with seven RBIs. The victory was the 700th at Vanderbilt for head coach Tim Corbin.
115th sellout in the history of Hawkins Field ⚓️
Let’s do it again next weekend. #VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/CHYgg2igVe
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 23, 2019
Following the Davis’ bunt in the fourth, Martin lined a single into center and JJ Bleday reached on a walk to set the stage for Scott who clocked an 0-1 slider off the foul pole for the Dores’ third grand slam of the season and second of the month.
Two innings later, Philip Clarke swatted a three-run homer into right center. The catcher’s fourth long ball of the season and a Harrison Ray infield single chased Florida starter Tyler Dyson (3-1). The right-hander allowed eight runs on five hits across five innings.
Ray doubled home two in the seventh and Martin replicated the feat in the eighth. Then, Bleday belted his team-leading seventh home run into right center. Four Commodores produced double-digit hit performances including Scott (2-for-4) who drove in four and scored three times.
Vanderbilt starter Kumar Rocker (2-2) fanned a season-high six batters while scattering five hits and allowing two runs in six innings. Tyler Brown secured his team-high fifth save, holding the Gators to a pair of runs and three hits while striking out four in the final three innings.
The result marked the first time Vandy had produced double-digit runs against the Gators in consecutive games since doing so in four straight from April 2, 2006-April 29, 2007. The Commodores have scored 10-plus runs in 10 games this season.
The Dores return to action at First Tennessee Park on Tuesday, taking on Lipscomb at 6:30 p.m. Vanderbilt will serve as the home team for the contest. Vandy will be back at Hawkins Field on Friday, opening a three-game series against Tennessee at 6:30 p.m.
