NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Freshman Connor Harrell’s three-run double down by a run in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled Vanderbilt to a 7-4 comeback win over Ohio Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores won their ninth straight game to improve to 13-1, while the Bobcats fell to 2-10.
VU trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth when Aaron Westlake and Andrew Giobbi walked and Jason Esposito reached on a bunt single to third to load the bases. Harrell then roped a double into the gap in left-center to score all three runners, putting the Commodores up 6-4. He advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a fielding error by OU’s second baseman to complete the rally.
“We have talked about it in practice a lot, in that situation we just want to get a run home,” said Harrell on hitting with the bases loaded down by one. “You just try to put the ball on the ground or get it in the air enough to get a guy home. Really you are just trying to keep the inning going. I was able to get the ball to the outfield and get some guys home, it was big for us.”
Drew Hayes (1-0) pitched 1.2 innings of hitless relief with three strikeouts to pick up his first win of the year. Russell Brewer closed things out with a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the year.
Joe Loftus put the Commodores on the board in the second, hitting a solo homer to left field to give VU an early 1-0 lead. He has now hit a homer in three straight games.
The Bobcats plated two in the fourth on a RBI single by Maddox III and a sacrifice fly RBI by Gesewich to take a 2-1 lead. They scored an unearned run in the fifth on a throwing error by Loftus in right to extend the lead to 3-1.
Solo homers by Aaron Westlake and Jason Esposito tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth. It was Westlake’s fourth of the year and second in as many games and Esposito’s third of the campaign.
Ohio took the lead back in the seventh on a RBI single by Jerod Yakubik off of reliever Richie Goodenow. The Bobcats had runners on second and third with just one out when Hayes came into the game and struck out two batters to end the threat.
VU starter Taylor Hill allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits in 6.1 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks in his first no-decision of the year.
Harrell and Esposito lead the Commodores with two hits apiece, while Westlake and Loftus had the only other hits in the game for VU.
Second baseman Bryan Johns went 0-for-5 on the day to end his hitting streak at 12 games.
The Commodores and Bobcats will conclude the three-game set on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sophomore right-hander Jack Armstrong (0-0, 4.97 ERA) will take the bump for VU.
