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Box Score
| Alabama Too Much For the ‘Dores
4/22/2006
ALABAMA DEFEATS VANDERBILT 14-7 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama pounded out 18 hits and scored three runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to claim the nightcap win over Vanderbilt, 14-7, Saturday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Alabama improved to 30-12 and 12-5 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt fell to 25-15 and 10-7 in conference. The Commodores jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first courtesy of a two-run two-out single by Ryan Davis with the bases loaded. Wes Henderson’s RBI double in the second cut the lead to 2-1. The Tide tied the game in the third on Alex Avila’s RBI double and then took the lead on Kody Valverde’s two-run homer. Cody Crowell (4-1) gave up four runs on six hits in two innings of work, his shortest stint of the year. Alabama tacked on three more runs in the fourth to push the lead to 7-2. Brandon Belcher opened the fifth with a solo homer to right, his second of the day, and the Tide added two more runs in the frame to make it 10-2. A fielding error in the seventh allowed two more Bama runs to push the lead to double digits 12-2. Vanderbilt plated four runs in the eighth to cut the advantage to 12-6. Rucker Taylor was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in a run and Matt Meingasner had a two-run double to lead the way. Alex Avila finished a 4-for-6 night at the plate with a two-run single in the eighth to make it 14-6. Vanderbilt added a run in the ninth to close the scoring. Bernard Robert struck out a career high nine batters in 7.1 innings of work to move to 6-2 on the season. The Tide claimed the series victory over the Commodores for the first time since the 2000 season. The doubleheader sweep is the first against Vanderbilt since LSU did it in Baton Rouge in 2004. The teams will close out the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. Vanderbilt 200 000 041 -7 11 3 Crowell, Rhoden (3), Betourne (5), Jacobson (8) and Robin. Robert, Kelly (8) and Valverde, Ferazza. W-Robert 6-2, L-Crowell 4-1. SV- None. HR- ALA:Valverde (10), Belcher (3) VU: None. |