NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 8 Vanderbilt finished off the team’s fourth straight series sweep with a 4-1 victory over Winthrop on Sunday at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores (15-2) broke up a scoreless game in the fifth scratching out two runs. Rhett Wiseman and Vince Conde each singled to start the inning. The Eagles (6-9) helped the Dores out with the first run making an error on Chris Harvey’s sacrifice bunt attempt. First baseman Chad Smith made a diving stop on the bunt but his throw to third to force out Wiseman sailed wide and allowed Vanderbilt to score the first run of the game. Kyle Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Vandy after five innings.
With a two-run lead, starter Tyler Ferguson settled in against the Winthrop lineup and cruised into the seventh inning. The Eagles finally crossed the plate when John Menken doubled over the head of Smith in left field with one out. Ferguson’s throwing error on a pick off attempt advanced Menken to third before a wild pitch allowed the only run of the game and just second given up by VU pitching on the weekend.
Vanderbilt put the game away in the eighth inning with two more runs. A hit-and-run single from Dansby Swanson put runners on the corners for Bryan Reynolds. The freshman delivered his second hit of the game to score John Norwood from third. Zander Wiel capped the day’s scoring with a sacrifice fly to center to score Swanson.
Reynolds and Wiseman led the way for the Dores with two hits apiece. Reynolds finished the week going 8-for-21 with six RBI. Menken led the Eagles with three of the team’s five hits.
Ferguson earned his third win of the season going a career-best seven innings. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Carson Fulmer worked the final two innings, striking out five to notch his fifth save. Winthrop starter Josh Strong took the loss giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits over 7.1 innings.
The Commodores return to action on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. against Eastern Illinois at Hawkins Field.
