GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Jon Townsend’s RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 11th lifted Florida to a 13-12 win over Vanderbilt and completed the three game sweep over the Commodores Sunday afternoon at McKethan Stadium.
The Gators clinched the No. 3 seed in the Southeastern Conference tournament and improved to 34-20 overall and 17-13 in league action. The Commodores will be the sixth seed and dropped to 37-18 overall and 15-14 in conference play.
“Florida was able to score a lot of two out runs and we just didn’t put the game away all weekend,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. “They are a lot better than most people give them credit for, they know how good they are.”
The two teams will meet again in the first round of the SEC tourney on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala.
The teams battled back and forth throughout the game and combined for seven homeruns and 31 hits in the contest.
Cole Figueroa led off the 11th with a single and advanced to second an out later on Josh Adams single to left. Dustin Bamberg popped out for the second out before Townsend lined the game winning single to left.
VU has now dropped five games in a row, marking the longest conference losing streak since 2003.
Brett Jacobson was charged with the loss, blowing the save and giving up two runs on six hits in three innings of relief. He struck out five and did not walk anyone to drop to 1-4.
Pedro Alvarez led Vanderbilt with three hits and three runs scored.
Vanderbilt jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first courtesy of a RBI single by Shea Robin and a two-run single by Steven Liddle with the bases loaded. David Macias led off the game with a double and moved to third on Pedro Alvarez’ double that got lost in the sun by centerfielder Matt den Dekker. Ryan Flaherty walked before Robin singled to right to score Macias. Steven Liddle singled through the right side with two outs to score Alvarez and Flaherty.
Dominic de la Osa’s solo homer in the fourth extended the lead to 4-0. It was his 10th of the year and 46th of his career.
Liddle added a sacrifice fly RBI in the third to extend the lead to 5-0. Shea Robin was hit by UF starter Tommy Toledo and then stole second base on reliever Clint Franklin. The throw down from the catcher went into the outfield allowing Robin to go to third where he scored on Liddle’s fly ball to center.
Toledo gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits in two innings of work with three strikeouts and a walk.
Matt den Dekker’s solo homer in the third put Florida on the board at 5-1.
Alvarez’ two-run homer in the fourth extended the lead to 7-1. David Macias reached on a bunt single and stole second before Alvarez’ blast to left-center, his seventh homer of the year and 47th of his career.
Josh Adams’ two-run homer in the fourth cut the lead to 7-3. Brandon McArthur doubled to lead off the inning and scored on Adams’ shot to left, his eighth homer of the year.
The Gators plated four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 7-7. Adams added a RBI single and Bryson Barber belted a three-run homer to right to tie it up.
Hampton Tignor’s solo homer in the sixth put UF up for the first time in the game at 8-7.
Vanderbilt rallied for four runs in the top of the eighth, capped off by a three-run homer by Ryan Flaherty to take an 11-8 lead.
Florida stormed right back in the bottom half, scoring four runs with two outs to take a 12-11 lead. Den Dekker and Figeroa both had two-run singles to account for the scoring.
Alex Feinberg’s RBI single in the top of the ninth tied the game back up at 12-12. Andrew Giobbi led off the ninth and reached on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Adams that allowed him to move to second. Steven Liddle grounded to short, advancing pinch runner Brad French to third and Alex Feinberg singled back up the middle off of Kyle Mullaney to tie the game at 12-12.
The Commodores will return back to Nashville Sunday morning and have the day off before practicing Monday afternoon at Hawkins Field before heading to Hoover, Ala.
Vanderbilt 311 200 041 00 -12 14 0
Florida 001 241 040 01 -13 17 3
Christiani, Brewer (6), Goodenow (8), Hayes (8), Jacobson (8) and Robin. Toledo, Franklin (3), Davis (6), Keating (7), Mullaney (9) and Munroe, Tignor. W-Mullaney 3-4, L- Jacobson 1-4 Sv- None. HR: VU: de la Osa (10), Alvarez (7), Flaherty (13) UF: den Dekker (8), Adams (8), Barber (6), Tignor (3)
