Oct. 28, 2015
Nashville, Tenn. — The Gold team rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh to clinch the Black & Gold Series Wednesday at Hawkins Field.
The two teams entered the seventh inning even at 2-2 after the Gold team scratched out a run in the sixth to tie the game. Tristan Chari opened the seventh with a single against freshman Chandler Day. Fellow freshman Alonzo Jones then battled Day into a full count before ripping a triple into the right-center field gap to break up the tie and ignite the winning rally. Penn Murfee immediately followed with a double to score Jones and end Day’s night. Lefty Evan Steele entered and quickly struck out the first two batters he faced before issuing back-to-back walks and hitting a batter to force in a run. Liam Sabino capped the rally with a crisp single to left-center to score the final two runs.
The Gold team struck first with a run in the third inning but it was the Black team that took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Gold starter Ben Bowden issued a leadoff walk to Karl Ellison, who came around to score two batters later on Bryan Reynolds first hit of the game. Ro Coleman followed with a single of his own to score Reynolds and put Black in front.
Reynolds led all hitters with three singles in the game, scoring two runs in the loss. The Gold team collected 10 hits in a total team effort that saw eight different players record at least one hit. Chari and Jones led the way with two hits apiece. Tyler Green added two hits for the Black squad, singling twice.
Donny Everett picked up the win out of the bullpen for the Gold team. The freshman allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts over 1.2 innings. Bowden was solid in three innings giving up two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts. Ryan Johnson was strong again in relief giving up two hits across 2.1 scoreless innings.
Day was pinned with the loss allowing four runs on four hits in his lone inning of work. Kyle Wright tossed five stellar innings allowing only one unearned run on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Vanderbilt wraps up fall practice and the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Hawkins Field.
