ATHENS, Ga. – Vanderbilt topped Georgia 9-3 Friday night at Foley Field to even the series at one game apiece.
Freshman T.J. Pecoraro entered the game with two runners on base in the third inning and the Commodores clinging to a one-run lead. The right-hander worked out of the jam and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings to earn his seventh win of the year fanning six and allowing only one hit. Fellow freshman Kevin Ziomek picked up his first save of his career turning in three scoreless innings of his own to finish off Vanderbilt’s 43rd win of the year and 21st Southeastern Conference win. The victory paired with Kentucky’s win at Florida moved the Commodores back into a three-way tie atop the league with Florida and South Carolina, who won at Alabama.
The Dores’ offense claimed an early lead scoring in the first inning without a hit and tacked on three more runs in the second capped by Connor Harrell’s two-run homer. Vandy blew the game open in the seventh sending nine men to the plate with Mike Yastrzemski’s single driving in two runs. Curt Casali belted his fifth home run of the year with a two-run blast in the eighth. Yastrzemski led all players with three hits while Casali was one of four Commodores to record two hits in the win. Zach Cone led Georgia with two hits, including a solo home run in the second.
Bulldogs’ starter Alex Wood was pinned with the loss giving up seven runs on 11 hits over 6.1 innings. Vanderbilt starter Grayson Garvin struggled through his shortest outing of the year, pitching just 2.2 innings and walking a career-high five batters.
The Commodores can claim a share of the SEC championship tomorrow with a victory. Senior Taylor Hill gets the ball for Vanderbilt against Georgia’s Blake Dieterich. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
Registration is now open for Summer 2011 Baseball Camps. Please click here to sign up or to find out additional information about the camps led by Head Coach Tim Corbin.
