Feb. 27, 2010
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LOS ANGELES — Bryan Johns went 4-for-5 with four RBI to spark Vanderbilt to a 10-1 win over USC Saturday night at Rod Dedeaux Field.
Johns had two doubles and played a key role in the Commodores rally from a 1-0 deficit with four runs in the fifth.
Taylor Hill (2-0) allowed just one run on eight hits in six innings with two strikeouts and two walks in the winning effort. Corey Williams came on in relief in the seventh and pitched two hitless innings with two strikeouts, and Will Clinard closed things out with a scoreless ninth.
USC took a 1-0 lead in the third on a RBI groundout by Mike O’Neill. That was the only run the Trojans scored against a stout VU pitching staff.
“I thought Taylor was good, especially getting through the sixth,” said Vanderbilt Tim Corbin. “I think everytime Corey gets the ball he gets better and Will looks like he has pitched a lot with a clean ninth inning.”
Vanderbilt broke through with a four-run fifth and added three more runs in the sixth and seventh innings to build a 10-1 lead.
Riley Reynolds and Brian Harris were both hit by pitcher Chad Smith, before Johns came through with a RBI double down the right field line. Aaron Westlake’s RBI groundout scored Harris to make it 2-0. Curt Casali walked and ended the day for Smith. Casali stole second and Giobbi flied out to right to score Johns. Jason Esposito’s RBI single capped off the scoring in frame.
Harris and Johns both had RBI singles in the three-run sixth to make it 7-1. Esposito hit a mammoth homer in the seventh over the netting in leftfield. It was his team leading second round-tripper of the year. Johns capped off his stellar day with a two-run double to make it 10-1
Curt Casali and Esposito each had two hits to lead VU, while Riley Reynolds scored three times to help Johns lead the offensive attack.
The Commodores will close out the LA trip tomorrow at Noon CT against Oklahoma State at Dodger Stadium. Sophomore right-hander Jack Armstrong (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will get the start for VU, while junior lefthander Thomas Keeling is expected to make his first start of the year for OSU. The Cowboys defeated USC, 6-4 on Friday night, and had their Saturday game against UCLA cancelled due to rain.
