Vanderbilt Defeats Georgia, 4-3 in First SEC Win

Vanderbilt Defeats Georgia, 4-3 in First SEC Win

3/26/2004

Vanderbilt Defeats Georgia, 4-3 in First SEC Win
Waner Jones sets school record with 28th consecutive game with a hit

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Junior left-hander Jeremy Sowers pitched eight scoreless innings while allowing only four hits in helping lead the Vanderbilt Commodores to a 4-3 Southeastern Conference win over Georgia in front of a standing-room only crowd of 1,578 at Hawkins Field tonight.  Sowers struck out 10 while facing 27 batters and walking no one. The win broke a nine-game losing streak against the Bulldogs with Vanderbilt improving to 16-5, 1-3 in league play.  Georgia is now 16-5, 2-2 in the SEC.

“I am just happy for Jeremy Sowers,” Vanderbilt Head Coach Tim Corbin said.  “He came to the park so motivated today and that is one good-hitting team over there.”

Sowers, who threw 114 pitches in the game improves to 4-1 on the season.  Sowers had five one-two-three innings and struck out two batters with runners at first and third in the third inning.  Paul Lubrano picked up the loss for the Bulldogs going 4.0 innings and giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits.  He totaled four strikeouts and four walks while hitting one batter.

“Its kind of funny because I threw 55 pitches in the first three innings so I was forced to come out after eight innings,” Sowers said.  “We watched the Georgia/Georgia Tech game Wednesday and had a good scouting report on them. In about the fourth inning, we figured they were stealing our signs so from then on Douillard (Jonathan) called the game and he did a great job.”

Another streak was broken during the game when sophomore Warner Jones extending his consecutive hitting streak to 28 games, breaking the school record of 27 held by Greg Thomas in 1991.  Jones has hit safely in every game this season (21 games) and the last seven games of last season. 

“It feels really good to have my name in the record books,” Jones said.  “My coaches have just been telling me to stay down with my feet planted and keep my head still and it has worked all season long.”

Jones finished the game with a 3-4 performance with a double and now totals 47 hits on the season and an SEC-leading .535 batting average.

“He is seeing the ball tremendously well right now,” Corbin said. “The TV guys asked me before the game if I have ever seen anyone hit like this and I said ‘yes, Khalil Greene’. I have tried to leave him (Jones) alone because that would be the worst thing a coach could do for someone in a hitting streak.”

The Bulldogs scored three runs in the ninth inning off VU reliever Matt Buschmann.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Buschmann walked Josh Morris on a 3-2 count scoring Bobby Felmy.  Joey Side hit into a double play scoring Justin Holmes.  Marshall Szabo then hit a triple to right center scoring pinch runner Jonathan Wyatt, narrowing VU’s lead to one, 4-3.  VU’s right-handed closer Ryan Rote then entered the game and struck out Josh Smith on three pitchers to earn his fourth save of the year.

“We told the guys before the game that opponents are not going to get shook up in this league,” Corbin said. “There are too many good teams in the SEC to think you are going to win 7-2 and 5-1. We have to get used to one-run games and get ready for tough teams every day.”

The Commodores scored two runs in the fifth inning, extending their lead to 4-0.  Junior shortstop Ryan Klosterman and junior centerfielder Antoan Richardson each walked and both advanced on a throwing error by Lubrano.  Klosterman and Richardson both scored when Jones collected his third hit of the night, a single up the middle.  Jones was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw.

Vanderbilt added one in the third when senior catcher Jonathan Douillard scored on a Jones double down the left field line.

The Commodores scored in the first inning for the fifth consecutive game.  Richardson reached first after he was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a hit up the middle Jones which set the record.  Richardson and Jones advanced on a steal and Richardson scored on a sacrifice fly from senior first baseman Cesar Nicolas, his sixth of the season.

The series continues tomorrow (Saturday) with a 4 pm game time.