HOUSTON – Vanderbilt collected just five hits and stranded nine runners on Saturday night, falling 3-0 to Louisiana in the middle game of the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
The No. 12 Commodores (9-3) dropped their second straight at the event and once again were victim to the two-out long ball as Louisiana’s Kevin Fontenot belted a two-run home run to start the scoring in the third inning. The Ragin’ Cajuns (4-6) chased Vandy starter Patrick Raby an inning later after a double and a pair of walks loaded the bases. Zach King entered, fanning leadoff hitter Gavin Bourgeois to end the threat.
The Commodores had their chances early, putting a pair of runners aboard in both the first and third innings, only to see a pair of lineouts shut down the opportunities. Five different Dores recorded one hit each with juniors Connor Kaiser and Ethan Paul each reaching base twice.
Louisiana loaded the bases in the seventh and tacked on another as Hunter Kasuls was hit by a pitch from Zach King with the bases loaded to force in the run. Vandy limited the damage, using three-straight strikeouts, including a pair from freshman Justin Willis, to leave the bases full of Cajuns.
Raby (0-2) was saddled with the loss, tossing 3.2 innings while allowing four hits and two runs. The right-hander walked three and struck out a pair in his first start of the season.
Vanderbilt had no answer for Louisiana starter Jack Burk (1-2). The sophomore scattered five hits and did not allow an extra-base hit in seven scoreless innings. The righty also struck out five and walked two. Like Burk, Vanderbilt never put anything across against Logan Stoelke, who did not allow a hit while walking a pair in two innings to secure his fourth save.
Vanderbilt closes the College Classic on Sunday night, facing off against Houston at 6:00 p.m. Right-hander Chandler Day (0-0, 3.00 ERA) looks to snap the losing streak and pick up his first win in his third start of the year.
