LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt pulled away early and held on late to beat Kentucky, 8-7, on Saturday and even the series at Kentucky Proud Park.
The Commodores scored seven runs in the second inning and added an insurance run in the ninth to hold off the Wildcats. Kentucky had the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth before Brennan Seiber got a groundout to end the game, earning his first save of the season.
After the home side took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Dores batted around in the second and plated seven runs on three hits, an error, six walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Tommy Goodin started off the frame with a double to right. Rustan Rigdon worked a walk and Ryker Waite was hit to load the bases. With one out, Mike Mancini, Brodie Johnston, Colin Barczi and Logan Johnstone drew four consecutive walks to make it a 4-1 game.
Kentucky threw the ball away on an attempted back pick play at third base, allowing two more runs to score. Braden Holcomb then doubled to bring home Johnstone as Vandy pulled ahead 7-1.
After a 21-minute rain delay in the bottom of the second, the Wildcats scored a pair to cut the Vandy lead down to four.
The score would remain 7-4 over the middle innings with neither team able to scratch across any runs.
Kentucky pulled within three in the bottom of the seventh with a bases-loaded walk.
Rigdon led off the top of the ninth with an infield single and moved to second on a sac bunt. Mancini roped a two-out double to the gap in right-center, scoring Rigdon for an insurance run that proved to be needed.
Kentucky got a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the ninth and Braxton Van Cleave doubled with one out to make it 8-7 with the tying run in scoring position. Seiber took over on the mound and got a pop up and a groundout to shut the door for his first save of the season as the Commodores set up a rubber match for Sunday’s series finale.
Vanderbilt used six pitchers in the win while Kentucky used nine. Alex Kranzler turned in three scoreless innings for the Dores and earned his second win of the season.
Vanderbilt (23-17, 8-9 SEC) and Kentucky (26-11, 8-9 SEC) will battle for the series Sunday at noon CT.
