Athens, Ga. – No. 2 Vanderbilt won its 10th straight series of the season with a series-clinching 5-1 victory Sunday over Georgia at Foley Field.
The Commodores (35-6, 16-2) took advantage of some early Georgia (15-26, 4-14) mistakes to claim the lead. VU cashed in on Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Sean McLaughlin’s second error of the game in the second inning for two runs. The Dores stretched the lead in the third inning with Zander Wiel getting in on the action for the second straight day. Xavier Turner led off the inning with a single to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and came around to score on Wiel’s RBI-double into the right-center field gap. Mike Yastrzemski’s made it back-to-back doubles to score Wiel and push the Vandy lead to four runs.
Four runs was enough for starter T.J. Pecoraro, who made his first start since March 26 and just his third of the year. The right-hander handcuffed the Bulldogs’ lineup allowing only three hits through the first four innings. Georgia finally chased Pecoraro in the fifth with a two-out single from Kyle Farmer to cut the Vanderbilt lead to three runs. But Carson Fulmer was called on out of the bullpen and the freshman needed just one pitch to end the UGA threat in the fifth. Fulmer (1-0) followed up with two more scoreless innings to earn his first career win. Brian Miller worked the final two innings to notch his 11th save of the season and match the school record for saves in a single season. Miller’s 11 saves this season match Navery Moore’s total from 2011 and Ryan Rote’s from 2004.
The Commodores manufactured a run in the ninth inning with Jack Lupo singling to lead off the inning and scoring from second base on the Bulldogs’ fifth error of the day. For the ninth time in the last 10 games the VU offense collected at least 10 hits with 10 hits on Sunday. Turner, Yastrzemski and Vince Conde all had two hits in the win. Hunter Cole paced UGA with two of the Dawgs’ seven hits. McLaughlin (4-4) took the loss for Georgia giving up four runs, three earned, on nine hits in 6.1 innings.
The series victory is the 10th straight of the season for Vanderbilt and 14th straight dating back to last season. Sunday’s victory also matched the win total from last season when the Commodores went 35-28 on the year.
The Dores return to action Tuesday night at No. 8 Louisville for the team’s annual rivalry game in the Battle of the Barrel. First pitch in Louisville is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network.
