Vanderbilt and LSU Play Two Memorable Games

Vanderbilt and LSU Play Two Memorable Games

5/15/2004

Vanderbilt and LSU Play Two Memorable Games
Tigers come away with two extra-inning wins

BATON ROUGE, La. — There was no shortage of baseball Saturday as the Vanderbilt Commodores came up short on both ends of the double header against #5 LSU.  After having Friday’s game rained out, the teams played two games today at Alex Box Stadium.  Vanderbilt fell 3-2 in 10 innings in the first game and 7-6 in 11 innings in the second contest.  VU is now 34-16, 12-14 in the SEC, while LSU is now 38-13, 16-10 in league action.

Jeremy Sowers went a career-high 9.1 innings in the first game giving up 3 runs (3 earned) on eight hits.  He struck out two and walked three in the contest.  Jensen Lewis went .1 inning walking one batter.  Lewis entered the contest with runners on first and second.  Lewis walked Ryan Patterson then Matt Liuzza hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring pinch runner Rhett Buteau for the winning run.
 
After LSU took a 1-0 lead in the second, VU tied the game in the top of the third when Ryan Klosterman scored on a fielder’s choice by Warner Jones.  LSU took the lead in the bottom of the third when Liuzza hit his ninth homerun of the season.  LSU had the chance to extend its lead to 3-1 but Clay Harris was tagged out after he over ran second base prior to Jon Zeringue reaching home on a Nick Stavinoha single.  
 
The Commodores had bases loaded with one away in the seventh forcing an LSU pitching change.  Jordan Faircloth entered the game striking out Cesar Nicolas and forcing Aaron Garza into a ground out to strand the three Commodore baserunners. 
 
VU tied the game in the eighth inning when Jonathan Douillard’s single to center field scored Tony Mansolino who reached on a standup double.  With one away in the bottom of the ninth, Stavinoha reached on a single off the left field wall.  Ivan Naccarata then flied out to centerfield as Antoan Richardson made a jumping catch into the wall.  Stavinoha – who had rounded second on the play – was out after he did not tag second on his way back to first base after the Richardson catch.
 
In Game Two, The Commodores took a 4-0 lead scoring three runs in the second and one run in the third.  With one away, Tony Mansolino doubled down the third base line and Worth Scott reached on a walk.  Douillard flew out to left field for the second out.  With two away, Richardson tripled down the right field line scoring Mansolino and Scott.  Klosterman then doubled down the third base line scoring Richardson.  Jones singled and advanced to second on an error by Ryan Patterson and scored in the third on a single by Mike Baxter. 
 
LSU scored three runs in the fifth inning to narrow VU’s lead to one, 4-3.  Stavinoha reached on a blooper over the shortstop and moved to second on Naccarata’s single.  Stavinoha then advanced to third on an interference call and scored on a ground out by Will Harris.  Blake Gill’s double scored Naccarata and J.C. Holt’s single up the middle scored Gill.
 
The Commodores added one in the sixth when Richardson reached after being hit by a pitch; stole second and then scored on a pinch-hit single by Aaron Garza.   LSU threatened in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with one away.  VU’s starting pitcher Ryan Mullins was relieved by Jeff Sues who forced Will Harris to ground into a double play to retire the side.
 
Mullins went 5.1 innings giving up three runs on eight hits with two strike outs and one walk.
 
VU extended its lead to 6-3 in the eighth inning when Aaron Garza scored on a sacrifice fly by Jones after reaching base on a triple.  LSU tied the game in the eighth inning scoring three runs from Liuzza, Zeringue and pinch runner Buteau.
 
Douillard led off the 10th inning with a single and Zach Simpson entered the game as a pinch runner.  Simpson moved to second when Richardson was hit by a pitch.  Klosterman then laid down a sacrifice bunt moving Simpson to third and Richardson to second.  With Garza at the plate, Simpson was caught stealing in a run down between third and home for the second out of the inning.  Garza then flew out to left field to retire the side.  The Tigers left three stranded in their half of the 10th inning when Patterson struck out with bases loaded.
 
Liuzza led off the 11th inning with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Derek Hebert.  Hebert stole second and then scored the game winner when Zeringue hit a shot to centerfield.
 
Jeff Sues went 2.0 innings giving up three runs on three hits, while Ryan Rote earned the loss going 2.2 innings giving up one run on four hits while striking out two and walking three.  Reliever Jason Determan earned the win going 7.0 innings giving up two runs on five hits.  Starter Justin Meier wnet 4.0 innings giving four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out three and walking one.
 
The final game of the series is scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 pm at Alex Box Stadium.