Nov. 24, 2014
The Commodores split into two teams on Monday morning in the Dominican and split the two games. The Dores topped the Texas Rangers’ Dominican Academy team 10-4 but a seven-run seventh inning led the Tampa Bay Rays’ academy team by Vanderbilt 7-4.
In the Commodores’ game against the Rangers, the Dores fell behind in the fourth inning when Tyler Ferguson’s control wavered. The junior right-hander issued a pair of walks that came around to score for a 2-0 Rangers’ lead. Vandy responded immediately in the fifth to take the lead with three runs. Nolan Rogers worked a leadoff walk and singles from Tristan Chari and Dansby Swanson loaded the bases. With two outs, Bryan Reynolds cleared the bases with a double into the right field corner to put VU in the lead. Will Toffey added a RBI-single up the middle to cap the rally.
The Dores put the game away in the seventh inning with a six-run outburst. Reynolds singled to open the frame and moved over to third base after walks to Zander Wiel and Toffey. Jason Delay and Rogers started the scoring with RBI-singles before Jeren Kendal laced a double to right field to score two more runs. A bases loaded walk to Swanson and a sacrifice fly by Rhett Wiseman pushed the lead to 10-2 at the stretch.
The Rangers scratched out two runs in the eighth inning against Jordan Sheffield after the right-hander struck out two in his perfect seventh inning. Ben Bowden closed out the win with a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the ninth.
All nine hitters in the lineup produced at least one hit and eight of the nine players scored at least one run. Reynolds led the way with two hits and three RBI with two runs scored while Swanson reached base four times and singled twice. Delay chipped in two hits with Rogers scoring two runs.
Carson Fulmer picked up the win with three no hit innings to open the game. The right-hander punched out six and retired nine straight after a leadoff walk.
In the Dores’ game against the Rays, Vandy dominated the first six frames thanks to freshman Kyle Wright. After walking the first three batters of the game, Wright picked up a double play and another groundout to get out of the inning in his first of six no hit innings. The freshman faced one over the minimum over his next five innings.
Vandy took an early lead in the second inning on Aubrey McCarty’s RBI-double but that lone run did not stand up to the Rays’ seven-run seventh inning. Freshman Matt Ruppenthal struggled through the inning allowing seven runs on seven hits.
The Dores added three runs on three hits in the ninth inning, including a solo home run from Kyle Smith.
Vandy again will split into two teams tomorrow to take on academy teams from the Indians and Red Sox.
Vandy Boy Done Good
Former Vanderbilt second baseman Gil Kim was on tap to see the Commodores on Monday take on the Rangers’ academy team. But Kim was not there to only see his former head coach Tim Corbin and his alma mater play, Kim was also working. Kim is the Director of International Scouting for the Rangers and is one of two former Commodores working in the upper echelons in a major league front office with Carter Hawkins working as the Farm Director for the Cleveland Indians.
