Murfreesboro, Tenn. – No. 5 Vanderbilt made a season-high six errors on Tuesday night at Middle Tennessee in a 7-4 loss at Reese Smith Field.
The Commodores (17-4) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning with RBI from Will Toffey and Penn Murfee before a Tyler Campbell two-run single in the fourth pushed the Vandy lead to four runs. The game, however, unraveled from there for Vanderbilt. The Blue Raiders (12-9) put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth before taking the lead in the fifth with the help of two Commodore errors.
In the from the bullpen, freshman Chandler Day opened the bottom of the fifth with a strikeout against the first batter he faced. A pair of Blue Raider singles followed before Ethan Paul made the Commodores’ first error of the night trying to turn a double play. A Day wild pitch scored the first run of the inning to cut the VU lead down to two runs. Aaron Aucker then tied the game with a two-run triple into the right field corner. A ground ball to Penn Murfee looked to be the second out of the inning but the sophomore threw home to get Aucker but the throw was low and bounced by catcher Karl Ellison to allow the go-ahead run. Three more Vanderbilt errors in the seventh led to the final run of the night.
Day took the loss for Vanderbilt allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits over three innings matching a career-best with six strikeouts. Joey Abraham started for the first time in his career allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts over four innings. Jeren Kendall and Reynolds led the way for Vanderbilt with two hits apiece in the loss. Alonzo Jones’ eight-game hitting streak came to an end with his 0-for-3 performance.
Middle Tennessee reliever AJ Spencer picked up the win with 3.1 no-hit innings. Aucker paced the Blue Raiders’ offense with two hits, two runs and two RBI.
Vanderbilt returns to the road at Missouri this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday night.
