NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt scored in five consecutive innings Tuesday in a 12-1 win over Tennessee Tech at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores tallied 12 hits and worked a season-high 10 walks at the plate against the Golden Eagles while four Commodore pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts on the mound.
RJ Schreck and Chris Maldonado each had three-hit performances in the win with Schreck coming up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Davis Diaz drove in a team-high three runs.
The Commodores scored 12 unanswered after falling behind 1-0 early.
Tennessee Tech used a pair of bloop singles sprinkled around a walk to score the game’s first run in the top of the second.
Schreck evened things up at 1-1 with a two-out solo shot down the line in right that traveled 416 feet. The graduate transfer has now homered three times as a Commodore, all in the last four games.
See ya ball 👋#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/katlnsSmbM
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 7, 2023
The Dores batted around in the bottom of the fourth with a five-run frame. Jonathan Vastine worked a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on an error by the second basemen. Maldonado then flared a single into center to score Vastine.
Parker Noland then drove a double off the top of the wall in right to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After Jack Bulger walked to load the bases, Matthew Polk hit into a fielder’s choice with Vastine scoring on the play to give Vandy a 3-1 lead.
The inning continued as Enrique Bradfield Jr. worked a two-out walk and RJ Austin roped a two-run single to left that scored Bradfield and Polk. Schreck narrowly missed his second home run on the day, knocking an RBI double to the gap in right-center and putting the Commodores in front 6-1.
Maldonado continued his hot streak in the fifth with his third hit of the game. Following a lead-off walk by Vastine, Maldonado lined a double to right-center, scoring Vastine all the way from first.
Maldonado sends home another run! 🙌#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/0u2NobqVdQ
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 8, 2023
A sac fly by Polk would score Maldonado to make it an 8-1 game through five.
The Dores put a crooked number on the board again in the sixth. This time it was Diaz supplying the power as the sophomore launched a two-run shot to left-center. Back-to-back walks brought on a new Tennessee Tech pitcher who was greeted with an RBI single through the right side by Noland.
Vanderbilt made it 12-1 in the bottom of the seventh as Austin doubled and scored on a groundout.
Devin Futrell picked up his third win on the year. Grayson Moore got the start on the bump for Vandy and struck out five over 3.2 innings, allowing the one run. Bryce Cunningham and Jack Anderson each worked two innings, both striking out three with no hits allowed.
Tuesday’s win marked victory No. 850 at Vanderbilt for head coach Tim Corbin. In his 21st season, Corbin passed the 950-career victory mark earlier this season.
Vanderbilt (9-4) is home again Wednesday against Evansville. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. with action airing on SEC Network+.
