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Lewis Pitches First Career Complete Game in 11-3 Victory over #4 South Carolina 4/16/2005 VU Totals 12 hits, including three home runs Columbia, SC — Jensen Lewis pitched his first career complete game striking out nine leading Vanderbilt to a 11-3 victory over #4 South Carolina in front of a crowd of 4,320 at Sarge Frye Field Friday in Southeastern Conference action. The Commodores improve to 22-10, 6-7 in SEC play, while South Carolina goes to 28-7, 8-5 in league action. Lewis gave up three runs on six hits in the opening four innings. He then retired the next 15 consecutive batters to earn his sixth win of the season. Vanderbilt got on the board early, scoring two runs in the first inning. Warner Jones hit a 0-1 pitch over the left centerfield wall scoring Stephen Shao who reached on a walk. USC scored one run in their half of the inning to narrow the VU lead to one, 2-1. With two away, Steve Tolleson singled up the middle and scored when Steve Pearce hit a double off the right field wall. Both Tolleson and Pearce extended their hitting streak to nine games. Vanderbilt added one run in the third. Matt Zeller led off with a blooper over the shortstop and stole second. He then moved to third when Shao grounded out to the first baseman and scored when Mike Baxter hit a two-out single through the left side for his 29th RBI of the season. Davy Gregg led off the third inning for the Gamecocks with a single to right centerfield on the first pitch. Chris Brown reached on a fielder’s choice when Rucker Taylor forced Gregg out at second but could not turn the double play when his throw pulled Baxter off first base. Michael Campbell hit a double off the left field wall scoring Brown. Tolleson walked placing runners at first and second. Lewis then forced Pearce to ground into a double play to end the inning. With one away in the fourth inning, Lewis gave up his first home run of the season when Brendan Winn hit his ninth homerun over the left field wall to tie the game at 3-3. Ian Paxton hit a single to left centerfield and moved to second on a passed ball. Davy Gregg then reached on an 11-pitch walk (five consecutive fouls) to place runners at first and second, but Lewis struck out Brown to retire the side. He then did not allow another Gamecock to reach base while striking out six. The Commodores added two runs in the fifth inning when Matt Zeller hit his first homerun of the season — a two-run shot over centerfield — scoring Richardson who led off the inning with a single to left centerfield giving VU a 5-3 lead. With one away, Shao reached when second baseman Chris Brown’s throw was off the mark. Jeff Jeffords then entered the game to replace starter Jason Fletcher ended the inning with a double play. Vanderbilt extended its lead to four in the eighth inning. Jones led off with a walk and Brian Hernandez hit his second home run of the season over the left field wall for a 7-3 lead. Conor Lalor then came in relief for Jeffords and forced Zeller to strike out to end the inning. The Commodores added four runs in the ninth inning. With one away, Shao drew a walk and moved to second when Baxter hit a single through the right side. Jones hit a blooper to center scoring Shao and Mansolino followed with a RBI single to shallow right field scoring Baxter. Hernandez hit a single through the left side scoring Jones and Richardson drove in Mansolino with a single to the right side. Lewis ended the game facing 34 batters and totaling a career-high 130 pitches. He walked two. Vanderbilt outhit South Carolina 12-6, including a two-hit outing by Baxter, Jones, Hernandez, Richardson and Zeller. Jones and Hernandez each had three RBI, followed by Zeller with two. Game Two of the series is Saturday at 3 pm CT. Junior left-hander Ryan Mullins is on the mound for the Commodores. |
