Nov. 24, 2009
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TOKYO- Vanderbilt baseball split a doubleheader in Japan, shutting out Aoyama Gakuin 1-0 in the first game, before falling 3-2 to Meiji University on their home field.
With one out in the bottom of the second in game one, Andrew Giobbi sent a fastball deep over the left field wall to give the Commodores a 1-0 lead. The run proved to be all they would need with the stellar pitching of three VU hurlers.
While Aoyama’s pitching staff limited the Commodores to only four hits, Vanderbilt pitchers Taylor Hill, Grayson Garvin, and Russell Brewer threw a combined four-hitter of their own. Hill allowed two hits and recorded six strikeouts over six shutout innings in route to the victory. Sophomore Grayson Garvin struck out two hitters in an inning of relief and Russell Brewer came on in the eighth to record the six-out save.
In game two, Kazuki Nishijima kept Vanderbilt hitters off balance for six innings in route to a 3-2 victory over the Commodores.
Meiji got on the board in the bottom of the third after a two-out walk to three-hole hitter Yajima. Third baseman Ishikawa singled to extend the inning and designated hitter Shashiki roped a ground-rule opposite field double to score Yajima.
Meiji further expanded their lead in the fifth inning when second baseman Takeuchi led off the inning with a walk. He advanced to second base on a ground out to third base and moved up another bag on a ground out to the right side of the infield. Shashiki record his second RBI of the contest when a weakly hit ground ball found a hole between the pitchers mound and first base.
With the score still 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth, Shashiki drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second base when Abe was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a Nakahara single. With the bases loaded and no outs, catcher Kawabe hit a sacrifice fly to right field that made the score 3-0.
For the second time in as many days, The Commodores weren’t willing to go down without a fight in the ninth inning. Riley Reynolds singled up the middle to start the rally. Andrew Giobbi followed with his second home run of the day to make the score 3-2. However that was as close as the Commodores would get.
Notable offensive performers were Riley Reynolds’ 2-for-4 and Andrew Giobbi’s 3-for-4 days at the plate.
Chase Reid was credited with the loss after allowing six hits, one run and striking out five over three innings of work.
