NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The third-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores cruised by cross-town rival Belmont 6-2 Wednesday night at Hawkins Field.
Freshman Tony Kemp led the offense while fellow freshman right-hander T.J. Pecoraro earned the win. Kemp drove in two runs with a single in the fourth inning to ignite a three-run rally. He scored the third run of the rally, scoring all the way from second base on a passed ball to extend the VU lead to 4-0. The Commodores tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Aaron Westlake drove in Jason Esposito and later scored on an error. Belmont scored single runs in the seventh and eighth when the Bruins threatened to tie the game before Will Clinard entered the game. The right-hander inherited the bases loaded but stranded all three runners to preserve the four-run lead.
Pecoraro notched his first win in his first collegiate start pitching four shutout innings. The New York native scattered three hits and fanned five in his debut. Clinard earned the save, his second, recording the final six outs and striking out a pair of Bruins. Belmont starter Garrett Fanchier was saddled with the loss giving up four unearned runs on four hits in his four innings of work.
The Commodores return to Hawkins Field on Friday afternoon to welcome in No. 8 Stanford for a three-game weekend series. The Dores and Cardinal play Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
