LONG BEACH, Calif. – No. 10 Vanderbilt opened the season with a 5-2 victory over Long Beach State at Blair Field Friday night.
The game did not start well for the Commodores as the team went in order in the opening frame and starter Tyler Beede struggled in the first. The right-hander walked leadoff hitter Zack Domingues to start the game and after a bunt single from Garrett Hampson the Dirtbags had something cooking. Beede retired the next two batters but Zack Rivera reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases for Richard Prigatano. Beede then lost control of a breaking ball and plunked Prigatano to force in a run and put the Dirtbags in front. Beede finished the frame with a strikeout, which was a sign of things to come for the junior.
The Vanderbilt offense immediately responded in the second with a leadoff single from Zander Wiel. After freshman Nolan Rogers was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard Chris Harvey gave the Commodores the lead, hitting a long ball to right field that was misplayed by Prigatano.
Pitching with the lead, Beede took over the game. The right-hander did not allow a runner over his final four innings as the Commodores pushed the lead to 3-1. Beede retired the final 13 batters he faced, striking out seven and allowing only two balls to leave the infield. He punched out two in the third and rang up his final two batters of the night in the fifth.
Xavier Turner added to the Dores’ lead in the fifth with a two-out, RBI-double down the left field line to score Harvey. Turner was again in the mix when Vandy scored two runs in the seventh. Freshman Bryan Reynolds opened the inning with his first collegiate hit, a single to left-center field. Turner knocked in Reynolds from third base two batters later with the freshman making a nice slide into home plate to avoid the tag. Vince Conde capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Dansby Swanson.
Turner led the way for the Dores in the opener with two RBI and John Norwood picked up a pair of singles. On the night, nine Commodores reached base. Hampson led the Dirtbags with two bunt singles and Prigatano drove in both runs.
Vanderbilt and Long Beach State play tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT at Blair Field. Lefty Jared Miller gets the ball for the Dores against right-hander Andrew Rohrbach.
