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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt starter Nick Christiani pitched the first complete game of his career, but it was in a losing effort as Kentucky took advantage of four errors in a 3-1 win on a rain soaked Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
The Wildcats claimed the series with the win to move to 33-11 overall and 11-10 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Commodores fell to 31-13 and 11-9 in league play.
The game was halted at 12:58 pm because of rain showers. After nearly two hours the game resumed at 2:56 p.m.
Christiani (5-2) gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in the losing effort.
The Commodores scored on a run on infield single by Dominic de la Osa with the bases loaded in the first.
The Wildcats scored an unearned run in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1. Brian Spear singled with one out and then advanced two bases when Dominic de la Osa threw behind him trying to get him out at first. The ball hit Spear in the back of his helmet and bounced into the dugout. Chris Wade then hit a slow roller to third that Pedro Alvarez fielded and threw high over catcher Shea Robin’s head allowing Spear to score.
Sawyer Carroll’s two-run triple in the fifth put the Wildcats on top 3-1. Bryan Rose walked with two outs and Collin Cowgill reached on an infield single before Carroll’s triple to right off of Christiani.
The Commodores could not convert on several opportunities throughout the game with the last best shot coming in the eighth. VU had the bases loaded with one out, but reliever Andrew Albers came on for UK starter Greg Dombrowski to get Steven Liddle to ground into a double-play to end the threat.
Dombrowski gave up one run on 11 hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 7.1 innings to pick up the win to move to 5-0. Albers pitched a perfect final 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, including Alex Feinberg to end the game, to notch his second save.
Alvarez led VU with three hits with de la Osa and Liddle adding two of their own.
Brian Spear had two hits to lead the Wildcats.
The Commodores will take the week as the players complete final exams before heading to Knoxville next weekend to take on Tennessee. The teams will open the series at 6 p.m. on Friday and will continue on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Kentucky 010 020 000 – 3 6 0
Vanderbilt 100 000 000 – 1 11 4
Dombrowski, Albers (9) and Nidiffer. Christiani and Robin. W-Dombrowski (5-0), L- Christiani (5-2). Sv-Albers (2). HR: UK: None. VU: None.
