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Vanderbilt Cruises Past Austin Peay 3/10/2004
Vanderbilt Cruises Past Austin Peay CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Cesar Nicolas hit two home runs and totaled three RBI and the Commodore defense was sharp in helping lead Vanderbilt to a 7-4 victory over Austin Peay today at Raymond C. Hand Park. The Commodores used seven pitchers in their first road game of the season with sophomore Matt Buschmann going two innings and earning the win without allowing a hit. Freshman Stephen Shao pitched two hitless innings striking out four. Freshman Michael Wagner went one inning and gave up three runs (all earned) on four hits, followed by freshman Greg Moviel and Tyler Rhoden who both pitched one scoreless inning. Sophomore Jeff Sues gave up a homerun in the eighth and struck out two, while junior Ryan Rote closed out the game in the ninth facing three batters and striking out two for his second save of the season. “We had to use a lot of pitchers because it was a Wednesday game,” Head Coach Tim Corbin said. “Had the game been Tuesday, we would have probably stretched Buschmann (Matt) out. I am treating Baylor like a conference game, and we have to keep everyone fresh for Friday.” The Commodores scored four runs in the first inning. Junior centerfielder Antoan Richardson, who batted at the top of the order for the first time this season, reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop and stole second. Sophomore right fielder Warner Jones doubled to left field scoring Richardson for Jones’ 27th RBI on the season. Jones advanced to third on a sacrifice fly from Nicolas and scored when sophomore DH Mike Baxter singled up the middle. Baxter stole second and scored when junior third baseman Tony Mansolino doubled to left center field. Mansolino then scored when senior right fielder Worth Scott hit a double that hit off the pitcher’s leg and ricocheted toward the Vanderbilt dugout. Austin Peay collected its first hit of the game in the fifth inning when Tommy Smith hit a lead-off single. With bases loaded and one away, the Governors hit into a double play to end the inning. The Commodores added one in the sixth when Nicolas led off the inning with a homerun off the scoreboard in left field. “He (Nicolas) had a great game,” Corbin said. He hit the ball well and played great defense. His biggest hit was probably the ball off the scoreboard because if he doesn’t hit that, Austin Peay, who is a good team, claws its way back into the game. Their bench never thought they were out of it and it’s hard to play at someone else’s park. That homerun was big.” The Governors got on the board in the sixth when they scored three runs, narrowing Vanderbilt’s lead to two, 5-3. Vanderbilt added two runs in the seventh when Nicolas hit his second homerun of the game with Jones on first. It was the first time Nicolas hit multiple home runs in a game and was his third in the last two games. “I understood the situation,” Nicolas said. “They had just scored and I was trying to do something to help us answer. I wasn’t necessarily trying to hit a home run, I just wanted to do something to get us going.” Austin Peay added one more run in the eighth when Chris Hyde hit a home run over the right field wall. The Governors had scoring opportunities in the seventh, but the Commodore defense did not allow Austin Peay to score. With runners on first and third and no outs, the Governor’s registered their first out with a fly out to right field. Scott’s throw kept the runner at third and Rhoden then picked off the runner at first. Alfredo Burkeen then grounded out to end the inning. The entire Commodore infield made great plays throughout the game. “It’s big for us to be able to get a few wins in a row, especially going into a big weekend and with conference play coming up,” Nicolas added. “Everybody is a year better and we are just an all-around better offensive team. We have more speed at the top of the lineup and we all pick each other up.” The Commodores play their first road series of the season this weekend when they travel to Waco, Texas to take on the Baylor Bears. |
