NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jonathan White’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth broke a 3-3 tie in Vanderbilt’s 4-3 win over Evansville Wednesday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
David Macias doubled past the diving Nate Smith in centerfield with one out in the ninth and then scored on White’s drive into the gap in right-center to win the game.
The Commodores (3-1) took a 3-0 lead into the ninth, but the Aces (0-4) rallied for three runs off of reliever Drew Hayes to tie the game.
Three Vanderbilt pitchers held the Purple Aces scoreless on nine hits for eight innings before running into trouble in the ninth. Starter Caleb Cotham allowed five hits while striking out three and walking two, while Taylor Hill followed with three innings of four-hit relief in his first collegiate outing. Sean Bierman followed his fellow freshman by striking out the side in his only inning of work in the eighth.
Hayes walked the first two batters he faced in the ninth, then gave up a RBI single to Brian Robinson to put Evansville on the board at 3-1. Andy Smith then reached safely on Hayes’ fielding error of his sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Freshman reliever Russell Brewer came in and induced a RBI force at second and recorded a strikeout before giving up an infield single to Greg Wallace to tie the game.
Brewer (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win in his first appearance after redshirting a year ago. He allowed a hit with a strikeout in an inning of action.
“I thought the story today was the pitching and getting all the new guys some action,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. “It was good to see them throw strikes.”
Vanderbilt struck in the first inning when Dominic de la Osa and Ryan Flaherty walked with two outs. Andrew Giobbi then hit a fly ball to right that Ryan Fleming lost in the falling snow, allowing it to drop in for a two-run double.
VU added another run in the seventh on a RBI single by de la Osa to make it 3-0.
Giobbi led the Commodores with three hits on the day, while fellow Maine product Ryan Flaherty saw his 38-game hitting streak end with an 0-for-3 day at the plate.
The Commodores will be back in action this weekend in the Music City Classic. Kansas, Iowa and Xavier will come to town for the round-robin tournament starting Friday at noon.
Evansville 000 000 003 – 3 11 2
Vanderbilt 200 000 101 – 4 9 1
Foley, McCarthy (7) and Pascoe. Cotham, Hill (5), Bierman (8), Hayes (9), Brewer (9) and Robin. W- Brewer 1-0, L- McCarthy 0-1. Sv- None. HR: None.
