May 25, 2011
Hoover, Ala. – A glance at the final score on a perfect night for baseball would seemingly give Commodore fans no reason for worry. Much like a boxing match stopped early by TKO, Vanderbilt cruised to a seemingly easy 10-0 win over Georgia that was stopped in the seventh by the Southeastern Conference Tournament’s mercy rule.
Two Vanderbilt freshman pitchers limited the Bulldogs, desperately needing victories to be eligible for the NCAA Tournament, to just a solitary single in the third inning. Third baseman Jason Esposito, whose solo homer in the second got the `Dores on the board said the team was playing pressure free and enjoying the park and game. What’s there to worry about?
Perhaps nothing. Hopefully, nothing.
However, starting pitcher T.J. Pecoraro exited the game with one out in the fourth when he felt a “twinge” in his forearm. Kevin Ziomek came in cold and didn’t allow a hit the rest of the way but there is some anxiety in the Commodore camp as it awaits an evaluation on Pecoraro’s arm tomorrow.
“He’s a healthy kid and hopefully this was just a scare,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said afterward.
That concern took a little luster off a terrific relief performance by the southpaw Ziomek and that of freshman left fielder Tony Kemp, who was brilliant as an offensive threat.
Ziomek had a bumpy entry, throwing a wild pitch and then walking a batter to load the bases with just one out. The Amherst, Mass., product then responded like a veteran, striking out the next two hitters to end the threat.
“That was the turning point in the game,” Corbin noted.
Ziomek made two trips back to the pen between innings to “get a feel for my pitches” but aided by outstanding defensive play, he would not allow a hit.
“We were treating this like any other game,” Ziomek said. “It was different to come in like that but my goal was to pick up my teammates. “With the bases loaded I was just trying to get in rhythm.”
Vanderbilt has won more games in spacious Regions Park since 2004 than any team in the SEC and it is again apparent that the roomy power alleys are tailor made for Vanderbilt’s team. On several occasions, outfielders Kemp, Connor Harrell and Mike Yastrzemski ran down Georgia shots that ended as long outs. Center field is a place where mighty line blasts go to die.
Kemp, named the SEC Freshman of the Year yesterday, showed it was a valid choice, going three for five with a triple and two stolen bases.
Corbin was very pleased with his team’s “skill game”, aspects such as bunting, base running and defense. Second baseman Riley Reynolds and Esposito both made bang-bang catches of line drives during the shortened contest.
Corbin was also happy to see the game end early, saving his pitching staff two innings of work. He said knowing the tourney’s 10-run run altered how he thought in the last few innings.
The win sets up a most interesting second round game with South Carolina. Game time is set for approximately the same 7:30 p.m. hour but tournament officials are leery of a weather forecast that calls for a good chance of storms. Alabama and Florida play in the preceding winner’s bracket game.