NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt mounted a ninth inning rally Sunday afternoon that ultimately fell one run short in the Commodores’ 7-6 loss to Oregon at Hawkins Field.
Trailing 7-5 entering the bottom of the ninth, Mike Yastrzemski led off with a double to start the rally. After a walk to Connor Harrell, Riley Reynolds moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Yastrzemski scored on a wild pitch by Oregon closer Jimmie Sherfy to cut the deficit to one but Sherfy rebounded to strike out Vince Conde and Tony Kemp to end the game and complete the Ducks’ three-game sweep of the Commodores.
Earlier, Vanderbilt bounced back to tie the game in the fourth inning after an early four-run hole. Connor Castellano’s RBI-double scored the first run and Kemp’s RBI-single drove in Castellano to tie the game. Conde’s RBI-single in the fifth gave VU a brief lead before Oregon’s four-run sixth inning put the Ducks in front for good.
Castellano led Vandy with two hits, two RBI and reached base four times in his first start as a Commodore. Mike Yastrzemski chipped in two hits and Riley Reynolds added two runs and a RBI-triple. Aaron Payne paced the Ducks with three hits and two runs scored while Aaron Jones and Ryon Healy each had two RBI in the win.
Oregon starter Brando Tessar picked up his second victory of the year allowing five runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks over five frames. Sherfy worked the final 2.2 innings to earn his second save of the season despite walking five batters. Will Clinard took the loss in relief giving up four runs on five hits with three walks in 3.2 innings. Steven Rice was solid out of the pen, turning in 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts. The two teams combined for 16 walks and three hit batters in the game.
Vanderbilt returns to action Wednesday afternoon at Hawkins Field when Louisiana Tech visits Nashville.
