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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7 Vanderbilt edged crosstown rival Belmont with an eighth inning run to win 2-1 at Hawkins Field Tuesday night.
The Bruins (7-17) scratched out a run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game on a fielder’s choice. The Commodores (21-5) waited until the bottom of the eighth to respond with the winning run. Xavier Turner was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a perfectly executed slash play by Dansby Swanson, who took second base on the outfielder’s throw to third. Bryan Reynolds then played the hero, slapping a single through the right side of a drawn-in Belmont infield to score Turner from third and put the Dores in front to stay.
Vanderbilt starter Walker Buehler did not factor in the decision but was lights out in his seven innings on the bump. The right-hander recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, making it back-to-back starts with a career-high in strikeouts. Buehler cruised through the first five innings allowing no hits and only two base runners. The Bruins’ first hit of the night came in the sixth inning when Matt Beaty hit a ball to the right side that hit the runner going from first to second. Belmont finally rallied for a run against the sophomore in the seventh when his second walk of the night came around to score and tie the game.
Adam Ravenelle picked up the win for the Dores, working one inning of relief. The right-hander worked himself out of a jam in the eighth inning after a single and walk but the go-ahead run in scoring position. Ravenelle responded by getting Jamie Ritchie to fly out to right field to end the inning. Brian Miller worked a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the season.
Swanson led the way for the Commodores with three of the team’s six hits. Swanson added two doubles to his season tally to run his total to a team-best 11. Turner pushed his hitting streak to 13 games with a sixth inning single.
Belmont reliever Christopher Carroll took the loss allowing one run on two hits in his lone inning of work. The Bruins were limited to just three hits on the night.
Vanderbilt returns to SEC action on Friday night against No. 19 Kentucky at Hawkins Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
