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Press Conference
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.– Vanderbilt right-hander Sonny Gray and left-hander Grayson Garvin limited Florida State to just two runs on 10 hits in a 6-2 win Saturday afternoon in the second game of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional at Dick Howser Stadium.
The win evened the series for the Commodores (46-19), who will now face the Seminoles (46-18) in the deciding game tomorrow at Noon CT/1 p.m. ET. The winner advances to the College World Series in Omaha next week, while the loser’s season will come to an end.
On a blistering hot day with temperatures over 100 degrees on the field, Gray (10-5) allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings with three strikeouts and three walks.
Garvin came on in the seventh and threw three innings of three-hit shutout baseball with three strikeouts to pick up his first collegiate save. The Georgia native has allowed just two runs on 10 hits in 13.1 innings with 12 strikeouts and three walks in three appearances in the postseason.
“It was a good bounce-back game for our kids, obviously,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. “I thought the pitching was very, very good. Sonny (Gray) gave us a great start getting into the sixth and then he was followed by Grayson (Garvin) who just continues to get better and better. We had a warrior on the mound to start and a warrior on the mound to finish.”
Vanderbilt clung to a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth before plating three runs to provide some breathing room with a 6-2 lead.
Anthony Gomez led off the eighth with a double to left-center off of reliever Daniel Bennett. Bennett struck out Aaron Westlake and then the team intentionally walked Jason Esposito to set up the double play opportunity.
Curt Casali then lined a shot to right that just barely missed clearing the 20-foot chain link fence for a three-run homer. Instead Gomez came into score and Esposito advanced to third.
FSU brought in reliever Scott Sitz to face Andrew Giobbi and Giobbi hit a safety squeeze bunt that wasn’t fielded cleanly by Sitz allowing Esposito to score from third. Joe Loftus popped up for the second out, before Mike Yastrzemski singled to left to score Casali with the third run of the frame.
“I really felt in this type of situation the three runs there at the end were very, very important because I know what type of team Florida State is,” added Corbin. “I’m just proud of the kids. I know what is in our DNA and our ability to fight back. That’s why coaches love coaching these kids.”
Yastrzemski, whose late father Michael played for the Seminoles from 1980-83, is 4-for-7 (.571) in the Super Regional with a double, homer and two RBI.
Casali finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI and has also had a hot weekend, going 6-for-9 (.667) with three doubles, a homer and four RBI.
The Commodores took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, aided by two Seminole fielding errors. Brian Harris reached on a fielding error by shortstop Stephen Cardullo and advanced to third when Anthony Gomez’ sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown wide of first by pitcher Brian Busch. Aaron Westlake’s RBI groundout scored Harris and Curt Casali’s RBI double off the wall in right-center scored Gomez to make it 2-0.
Jason Esposito’s solo homer to center field in the third extended the VU lead to 3-0. It was his 12th homer of the year and the team’s fifth solo shot in the Super Regional.
Jayce Boyd’s solo homer in the fifth put the Seminoles on the board at 3-1. It was his second homer of the Super Regional.
FSU plated another run in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Rafael Lopez with the bases loaded. The Seminoles tried to bring the tying run (Boyd) in from second on the hit by right-fielder Joe Loftus fired a strike to catcher Andrew Giobbi who easily tagged the runner out at the plate.
“All year, coach has been making a big point on defense and pitching and we did both of those well,” said Loftus. “When we get in those situations for some reason I always feel like I want the ball to be hit to me. I feel like I can make that throw every time. I made the throw and Gio (catcher Andrew Giobbi) put the tag down.”
Florida State’s Brian Busch (5-2) allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits in seven innings with two strikeouts and two walks in the losing effort.
James Ramsey, Stephen Cardullo and Rafael Lopez each had two hits to lead FSU.
Vanderbilt will send sophomore right-hander Jack Armstrong (7-3, 4.32 ERA) to the mound, while Florida State’s starter is expected to be junior right-hander Geoff Parker (4-1, 4.94 ERA).
