Western Kentucky Defeats Vanderbilt, 10-9

3/3/2004

Western Kentucky Defeats Vanderbilt, 10-9
Commodores Suffer First Loss of the Season

NASHVILLE – The Vanderbilt Commodores lost their first game of the season, 10-9, tonight to Western Kentucky at Hawkins Field.  Vanderbilt is now 7-1, while Western Kentucky owns a 4-7 mark.

Nine pitchers saw action in the contest, including five for Western Kentucky and four for the Commodores.  Vanderbilt pitchers combined to give up 10 runs (seven earned) on 11 hits and totaled seven walks while striking out six.  The Commodores also committed a season-high three errors in the contest.

“We just didn’t pitch and play defense enough to win the ball game and that’s the bottom line,” Vanderbilt Head Coach Tim Corbin said.  “We walked seven guys in four innings and that hurt a lot.”

The Hilltoppers scored three runs in the first inning and added two more in the fourth for a 5-0 lead.  The Commodores answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Warner Jones hit his second home run of the season over the left field fence scoring Richardson who reached base on a lead-off double.

Western Kentucky added one run in to the fifth to extend its lead to four, 6-2.  The Commodores scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take their first lead of the game, 7-6.

Jonathan Douillard doubled to left field and advanced to third on a single from Aaron Garza.  Ryan Klosterman singled to right center scoring Douillard and advancing Garza to second.  Richardson had a sacrifice bunt that sent Klosterman to second and Garza to third.  Jones was hit by a pitch loading the bases for Cesar Nicolas.  Nicolas doubled to center field picking up two RBI (Klosterman and Garza).  Mike Baxter then singled to first base  scoring Jones.  Tony Mansolino lined out to centerfield scoring Nicolas to complete the Commodores scoring.

It was the top of the sixth inning that hurt the Commodores when the Hilltoppers scored four more runs to take the lead for good.  In that inning, the Hilltoppers drew four base on balls while Vanderbilt committed one error.  WKU scored four runs on two hits.

“The sixth inning was the most critical because after we scored five runs, we gave up four and it bit us in the end.” Corbin added.

The Commodores added two runs in the seventh when Worth Scott singled to left field scoring Nicolas who reached base on a single.  Baxter scored when Douillard hit a hard ball to the shortstop.  With one away, Garza flied out to centerfield and Mansolino was thrown out at home trying to score on the sacrifice.

In the ninth, Baxter led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball, but with one away WKU’s Daniel Faulkner retired the next two batters for the Hilltopper win.

Matt Buschmann picked up the loss pitching 2.1 innings and giving up four hits, five runs (two earned), walking two and striking out three.  Stephen Shao started his first collegiate game and pitched three innings giving up six hits, and five runs (all earned).   Michael Wagner pitched 2.2 innings and walked four batters while giving up no hits.  Ryan Rote came in for the ninth inning and gave up one hit, one base on balls and struck out one.

James Mantzanis earned the win for Western Kentucky pitching 1.2 innings and giving up four hits and two runs (both earned).  Starting pitcher Michael Shope went 4.0 innings and gave up four hits and two runs (both earned) while striking out two.

A total of 340 pitches were thrown in the 3-hour and five minute contest, including 145 by WKU and 195 by Vanderbilt.

The Commodores host Cincinnati in a three-game series this weekend.  Commodore all-american Jeremy Sowers will be on the mound Friday against the Bearkats in the 4 pm game.