NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Steven Liddle’s two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and sparked Vanderbilt to a 7-2 win over Vermont Friday night at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores (3-3) finished with 13 hits on the night with Aaron Westlake and Riley Reynolds each leading the way with a career high four hits. Steven Liddle added three hits and a career-best four RBI.
“We had 13 hits on the game, it was a pretty good offensive performance and a good defensive game as well,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin as his team played an error free game in the field.
Mike Minor (1-0) cruised through the first five innings, holding the Catamounts (0-1) scoreless before giving up a run in the sixth. He ended up allowing two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 7.2 innings of work. Russell Brewer pitched the final 1.1 innings and struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his second save of the year and 10th of his career.
“I thought Mike pitched really well at the beginning of the game,” said Corbin. We tried to stretch him out and get him through the eighth inning, but once he walked a hitter and had a long at-bat in the eighth I thought that was it for him.”
Reynolds opened the seventh inning with a single to left, and Brian Harris ripped a grounder to third that James Katsiroubas could not handle allowing him to reach safely. Liddle then hit the first pitch offering from UV starter Joe Serafin (0-1) down the right field line to score two runs. He would then score on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
“I knew the bases were loaded and they were going to try and pitch me inside and get a double play,” said Liddle about his triple. “I just got a good pitch and kept my hands inside and drove it.”
The Commodores got on the board in the third inning when Reynolds singled and moved to third on a double by Brian Harris. Liddle followed with a sacrifice fly RBI to give VU the early 1-0 lead.
The Catamounts tied the game in the sixth on Corey Moylan’s RBI single to center. Mark Micowski singled with one out and then moved to second on Eric Fedette’s walk. Moylan then singled to score Micowski. Ethan Paquette walked to load the bases, but Minor was able to get out of the inning without any more damage by striking out Jeff Nolet.
Vermont plated a run in the eighth on a Moylan sacrifice fly to make it 4-2, but the Commodores answered with three runs in the bottom half to extend the lead to 7-2. Aaron Westlake doubled to lead off the inning, followed by a Jonathan White walk. Jason Esposito was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alex Hilliard hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Westlake and Riley Reynolds added a RBI single to score Esposito. Reynolds would later score on a RBI double by Liddle, his third hit of the night, to make it 7-2.
The Commodores and Catamounts will play game two of the three game series Saturday at 2 p.m. Right-hander Caleb Cotham is slated to start for VU, while Vermont will counter with southpaw Justin Albert.
Vermont 000 001 010 – 2 6 1
Vanderbilt 001 000 33x – 7 13 0
Serafin, Sorenson (7), Lutton (8), Hart (8) and Nolet. Minor, Brewer (8) and Giobbi. W- Minor 1-0, L- Serafin 0-1. Sv- Brewer (2) HR: None.
