NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eighth-ranked Vanderbilt allowed a season-high eight runs Wednesday night, falling 8-5 to Belmont at First Tennessee Park.
The Commodores (15-6, 3-0 SEC) surrendered six walks and committed two errors in the loss while the Bruins (8-12, 3-3 OVC) overcame three errors and snapped a brief two-game losing streak in the series.
Belmont scored five runs on three hits, three free passes and a Vanderbilt error against a trio of Commodore pitchers in the fifth inning, jumping ahead 6-1. After starter Jake Eder issued a one-out walk, the Bruins quickly took the lead against reliever Justin Willis on an infield single from Matt Cogen. One batter later, Chas Hadden greeted Hugh Fisher with a two-run single before Cully Day’s RBI-single capped the five-run rally. It marked the most runs Vandy has allowed in any inning this season.
Austin Martin manufactured the Commodores’ first two runs with his legs, finding his way to first base via a walk and a single and advancing one base at a time on his way to the plate in both the third and fifth innings. Ethan Paul’s RBI-single chased Martin home in the third and Martin raced home from third on a wild pitch to score the Dores’ second run of the game in the fifth.
Vandy cut the deficit to three in the seventh inning with a pair of runs. Connor Kaiser singled after an 11-pitch at-bat, setting up Philip Clarke’s RBI-single. Garrett Blaylock snuck a grounder off the first baseman’s glove and into right field, bringing Kaiser home to trim the deficit to 7-4 but Bruins’ reliever Logan Bowen buckled down with consecutive strikeouts to limit the damage.
Vanderbilt left 12 men on base in the loss and could not solve eight different Belmont pitchers. Reliever Jack Rettig (1-1) picked up the win, tossing one scoreless inning while fanning a pair.
Eder (1-2) was pinned with the loss after permitting two runs on two hits while walking two and striking out four in 4.1 innings of work. Clarke finished 3-for-5 for his first collegiate three-hit game. Martin reached base in four of his five plate appearances, including two walks.
The top four Bruins in the order combined to go 6-for-16 with six runs and four RBIs, including Hadden who finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
Vanderbilt returns to Hawkins Field this weekend, hosting No. 19 LSU for a three-game series beginning Friday at 8:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. Saturday’s middle game is slated for 7:30 p.m. while Sunday’s finale takes place at noon.
