Vanderbilt Defeats Western Kentucky, 10-6

Vanderbilt Defeats Western Kentucky, 10-6

4/21/2005

Commodores Total Season-High 17 Hits
Matt Buschmann Earns Win; Cody Crowell Gets First Career Save

Bowling Green, Ky, — The Commodores scored two runs in each of the first five innings and totaled a season-high 17 hits in a 10-6 victory over Western Kentucky Wednesday at Nick Denes Field. The Hilltoppers scored one in the fourth, four in the fifth an one in the sixth before Cody Crowell entered the game and pitched four scoreless innings picking up his first career save.

Vanderbilt starter Matt Buschmann earned the win going 4.0 innings allowing one run on three hits. Greg Moviel pitched the fifth inning giving up five runs on five hits before Crowell came in to finish the game.

The Commodores scored seven of its 10 runs with two outs in an inning.

Vanderbilt got on the board when Mike Baxter walked on a full count and scored when Warner Jones hit a standup double to the right centerfield gap on an hit and run play. Tony Mansolino followed with a hit up the middle scoring Jones.

Corteze Armstrong led off the Hilltoppers half of the inning with a double down the left field line — his second of the season — but Buschmann retired the side striking out the final two batters stranding Armstrong on second.

Carter Hawkins started off the second inning with a base hit when he hustled down the baseline beating out a throw by the third baseman. He was forced out at second on a fielder’s choice by Matt Zeller. Zeller moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rucker Taylor. With two away, Stephen Shao hit his second home run of the season over the left centerfield wall scoring Zeller to give VU a 4-0 lead.

Dominic de la Osa doubled down the left field line to begin the third inning forcing a pitching change for the Hilltoppers. JC Faircloth came in to relieve Daniel Faulkner who gave up five runs on six hits in the opening two innings. Hawkins hit a single up the middle scoring de la Osa. Shao then got his third RBI of the game when his infield hit to first scored Hawkins from second base.

Vanderbilt added two more runs in the fourth inning when de la Osa hit a two-out two-run home run over the left field wall scoring Mansolino who reached on a single up the middle. James Mantzanias replaced Faircloth and retired the side.

Western Kentucky scored its first run in the fourth inning. Matt Ransdell led off with a walk after Buschmann had retired the previous nine consecutive batters. Tim Grogan followed with a single to right field moving Ransdell to second. Jordan Newton reached on a fielder’s choice forcing Grogan out at second moving Ransdell to third. Marcus Ross then hit a shot to left field that Shao scooped and threw out Newton at second keeping Ransdell at third. Casey Hamilton hit a two-out RBI single to right field scoring Ransdell for the Hilltoppers first score of the game. Antone Towns ended the inning when he flew out to centerfield stranding runners at first and second.

Zeller led off the fifth inning with a double to left center field. With two away, Baxter hit a two-run home run over the right field scoreboard for his team-leading sixth home run and 33^{rd RBI. Jones hit a single up the middle and Mansolino followed with a single through the left side. Kyle Smith replaced Mantzanis and forced Mansolino out at second.}

Greg Moviel took the mound for the Commodores in the fifth inning. Cooper drew a walk from Moviel and moved to second on a single through the left side by Eric Scriven. Cooper and Scriven both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Armstrong. Ransdell singled through the right side and advanced to second on the throw to home by Zeller. The throw was to the right of Hawkins scoring Cooper. Grogan hit a two-run home run on an 0-1 pitch to narrow the Commodore lead to five, 10-5. Moviel struck out Newton and forced Marcus Ross to line out to second to end the inning.

WKU added one more run in the sixth inning. Hamilton led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second when Antone Towns hit shot to shortstop that took a bounce over Feinberg’s head. Crowell then came in relief of Moviel. Cooper singled to the left side and moved to second on the throw from left field with Hamilton scoring. Crowell struck out Armstrong and Ransdell grounded out to second to end the inning.

Smith pitched the final 4.1 innings for the Hilltoppers allowing just two hits and striking out five.

Vanderbilt totaled 17 hits in the contest led by Jones and Mansolino with three each. Shao, de la Osa, Hawkins and Zeller each totaled two hits. The Commodores hit three home runs in the game (Shao, Baxter, de la Osa).

Vanderbilt is now 25-11, while Western Kentucky is 12-24.