COMMODORES HEADED TO SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

COMMODORES HEADED TO SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

5/29/2004

COMMODORES HEADED TO SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Matt McGraner’s First Career SEC Tournament Hit in the 12th Inning Scores Winning Run

Hoover, Ala. — With one away and runners at first and second, Matt McGraner collected his first career SEC Tournament hit — a shot to right field – with a game-winning RBI in the bottom of the 12th scoring Tony Mansolino to give Vanderbilt a come-from-behind 6-5 win and trip to the SEC Tournament Championship Game. The Commodores will take on South Carolina who defeated Arkansas 3-2 in the other semifinal game.

Mansolino reached base on his first hit of the tournament (1-12) and moved to second when Aaron Garza collected his second hit of the day.

The Commodores reached the 12^th inning only after Warner Jones extended the game with a two-out, bases loaded ground rule double in the bottom of the 11^th scoring Garza and Zach Simpson to tie the game at 5-5.  Jones’ long fly ball hit the warning track and bounced over the wall forcing Richardson to stay at third rather than score the winning run as it initially appeared.  Garza started the rally with a one out double.  Jonathan Douillard and Richardson each drew four-pitch walks on either side of a Ryan Klosterman strikout.   Simpson entered the game as a pinch runner for Douillard.  It was Jones’ 26^th double of the season which tied a shool record with Josh Adeeb (1997). 

Florida had taken a 5-3 lead in the top of the 11^th inning.  With two away and Adam Davis on second, Ben Harrison was intentionally walked.  Stephen Barton then hit a single to left field scoring Davis and moving Harrison to second.  Harrison moved to third on a wild pitch by VU reliever Ryan Rote and scored on a RBI single by Brian Jerolman in his first at bat of the game.

With Vanderbilt leading 3-2 in the top of the ninth inning, the Gators scored one to tie the game at 3-3. Adam Davis reached base on a bunt down the first base line.  After C.J. Smith struck out, Harrison hit a double to deep center field and Davis scored when VU’s centerfielder Richardson bobbled the ball while trying to throw the relay in to the infield with Harrison taking an extra base.  Rote then replaced starter Matt Buschmann and struck out Stephen Barton and forced Matt LaPorta to fly out to left field to retire the side.

Klosterman led off the game with a towering homerun over the left field wall that just stayed fair to give VU a 1-0 lead.   Florida took a 2-0 lead in the second inning marking the first runs scored on the Commodores in the tournament.  Harrison walked on four pitches to start  inning.  Barton grounded out to the right side of the field moving Harrison to second.  LaPorta reached base after the first base umpire ruled he was hit by a pitch.  Leclerc hit a RBI single to right field scoring Harrison and moving LaPorta to third.  Tordi then hit a sacrifice bunt down the first base line scoring LaPorta.  The two runs broke Vanderbilt’s SEC Tournament scoreless inning record at 24 innings (19 innings in 2004 and five innings in 1980).

Vanderbilt regained the lead in the third inning scoring two runs, 3-2.  Douillard led off the inning with a single to the left side of the field.  Klosterman hit a ground out to pitcher Darren O’Day moving Douillard to second.  Richardson then hit a blooper just over the infield scoring Douillard with Richardson taking second on Leclerc’s throw to home. Jones hit a sacrifice fly to right field moving Richardson to third.  Nicolas drew a walk and Mike Baxter took the first pitch and hit it right in the gap between shortstop and third base scoring Richardson and moving Nicolas to second.  Stephen Shao grounded out to end the inning.

With one away in the fourth inning, Barton hit a single to right field.  LaPorta then hit into a double play when Buschmann stopped the ball and threw to Klosterman covering second and then to Baxter at first to end the inning.

With two away in the top of the fifth, Ryan Kennedy hit his third double of the year but was left stranded at second when Jonathan Tucker popped up to center field.

Kennedy hit a one-out single up the middle in the eighth inning, but Buschmann forced Tucker to hit into a double play to retire the side.

Three Commodore pitchers combined for 10 hits, 10 strikeouts and three walks, capped by Jensen Lewis (6-4) who earned the win in relief coming in the 12^th inning and giving up just one hit with two strikeouts.  Steven Porter (1-3) got the loss giving up one run on two hits. 

Vanderbilt totaled 15 hits, led by Nicolas with three and Klosterman, Richardson, Jones and Garza with two each.

GAME NOTES:

• The Commodores make their first SEC Tournament Championship Game appearance since 1980 when Vanderbilt won the title.  In 1994, Vanderbilt lost to Tennessee in the Eastern Division Championship when an Eastern and Western Division Champion were crowned.
• The Commodores have won their first three consecutive games for the first time in tournament history.  (6-0 vs. Georgia, 3-0 vs. Florida, 6-5 vs. Florida in 12)
• The 12-inning game is the longest inning game of the season for the Commodores.  VU lost 7-6 at LSU in 11 innings (May 15).
• Commodore pitchers threw 21 consecutive scoreless innings before the Gators scored in the second inning dating back to the last regular season game vs. Kentucky.  Earlier in the season, Vanderbilt recorded 36 consecutive scoreless innings.
• Commodore pitchers threw a school record 19 consecutive scoreless innings in SEC Tournament play with the two shutouts and one inning vs. Florida today.  The previous mark was 14 innings in 1980.
• Matt McGraner was 3-14 this season with runners in scoring position before his game-winning RBI
• Warner Jones tied the school record with 26 doubles this season.  Josh Adeeb also totaled 26 doubles in 1997.
• The single by Tony Mansolino in the 12^th inning was his first hit of the tournament.  Mansolino was 0-11 prior to that at bat.
• Commodore pitchers own a 1.50 ERA giving up five runs on 20 hits.  They have struck out 33 batters while walking three and have given up only three extra base hits — all doubles.