NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt used three pitchers to shutout Belmont 7-0 on a chilly Tuesday night at Hawkins Field.
Commodores’ (14-19) starter Sam Selman (3-3) worked a career-high six innings to earn his third straight win. The lefty dominated for the third straight outing, scattering three hits before leaving after facing one batter in the seventh inning. He matched a career-best with seven strikeouts while running his scoreless inning streak to 17 innings. Brian Miller turned in two scoreless innings and Steven Rice finished off Vanderbilt’s fourth shutout victory of the season working the ninth inning.
Vanderbilt’s offense scratched out a two-out run in the first with three straight hits. Mike Yastrzemski’s double chased home Conrad Gregor for an early 1-0 lead. The Dores tacked on another run in the fourth on Joel McKeithan’s grounder that scored Chris Harvey from third base. Vandy used small ball to score two runs in the sixth with Riley Reynolds’ squeeze bunt scoring a run and Tony Kemp’s safety squeeze driving in another. The Commodores blew the game open in the eighth inning scoring three runs on one hit and two Belmont (24-11) errors. Gregor’s sacrifice fly and Anthony Gomez’s two-run single capped the rally and the night’s scoring.
Gomez and Harvey each had three hits to pace Vanderbilt’s 11-hit attack. Harvey’s three hits set a new career-high. John Norwood added a career-best two hits in his first start in the leadoff spot and Gregor chipped in a pair of singles. Spencer Navin extended his on base streak to 13 games when a pitch hit him in the eighth. With three hits Gomez now has five straight games with at least two hits. Matt Beaty had all three hits for the Bruins.
Belmont starter Dan Ludwig (1-4) was pinned with the loss allowing four runs, three earned, on 10 hits in 5.2 innings.
Vanderbilt hosts Auburn this weekend at Hawkins Field. The Commodores and Tigers play Friday night at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Friday night’s game will be televised on CSS.
