MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee secured a 4-3, seven-inning victory in a matchup cut short due to inclement weather at Reese Smith Jr. Field on Tuesday night.
The No. 15 Commodores (17-12) appeared to have a come-from-behind victory within its grasp as Alonzo Jones struck a two-out grand slam in the eighth inning for a 7-4 Vanderbilt advantage. Moments later, with two down and a full count on Austin Martin, the game was stopped due to weather in the area. The game was officially called just over an hour later and by rule reverted back to its previous completed inning, erasing the results from the top half of the eighth.
For the fourth-straight game, Vanderbilt fell behind early as Middle Tennessee (17-12) took a 1-0 lead on a two-out single in the first inning. The Dores stranded runners in each of the first three innings before breaking things open in the fourth. Pat DeMarco swatted a one-out double and Ty Duvall worked a walk, setting the stage for Jayson Gonzalez. The freshman took a called strike before unloading on a two-out, three-run home run to provide Vanderbilt a 3-1 advantage in the fourth.
The lead would be short-lived, however, as the Blue Raiders evened things up on a one-out, two-run homer from Aaron Aucker in the fifth. One frame later, Middle Tennessee’s Kevin Sullivan lined an RBI-double into left-center for a 4-3 edge.
Six Commodores collected one hit including Gonzalez, who led the way with three RBIs and one run. DeMarco and Duvall added a run each while contributing a hit apiece.
Freshman Jake Eder permitted six hits and three runs in five innings while fanning six and walking three as part of a no decision. Tyler Brown (1-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing three hits and one run in two innings.
Middle Tennessee’s Tyler Holcomb (3-2) earned the win, striking out four without allowing a hit in 2.2 innings of relief. Aucker led the Blue Raiders with a 3-for-4 performance alongside two RBIs.
Vanderbilt returns to action on Thursday, hosting Georgia in the first of three games at Hawkins Field. The opener is set for 6 p.m. on ESPNU. Friday’s middle game will also get underway at 6 p.m. and the Saturday finale is slated for 2 p.m.
