HOUSTON, Texas — Pinch runner Jonathan White scored the game winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Vanderbilt to a 7-6 win over Arizona State Saturday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
The marathon game lasted four hours and nine minutes as the Commodores came from behind for the second straight game to move to 2-0 on the year.
Designated hitter Matt Meingasner roped a triple into left-center with one out in the inning off of ASU’s Ike Davis. Meingasner was then pinch ran for by White. Arizona State attempted to intentionally walk Brad French in order to have a double play possibility, but Davis threw a wild pitch to the right of catcher Petey Parramore allowing White to come in and score the gamewinner.
“Our first two games this season have been pretty much the same,” said head coach Tim Corbin, “I thought Pedro’s and Cody’s performances today were the difference in the contest.”
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| Pedro Alvarez spearheaded the Commodores’ comeback by smashing a two-run home run in the seventh inning to give Vanderbilt its first lead of the game at 6-5. (Photo Courtesy: M. Rapp) |
The Commodores had trailed throughout the contest and went into the seventh down 5-3. David Macias started a one out rally with a double to left and then scored on Alex Feinberg’s RBI single into the leftfield corner. Pedro Alvarez then followed with a line drive homer that hit the right field foul pole to give VU its first lead of the game at 6-5.
The Sun Devils battled back to tie the game on a controversial play in centerfield. Ike Davis hit a low line drive that was caught by centerfielder David Macias for the second out in the inning. It appeared to the Commodores that runner Eric Sogard did not tag up at third when he scored to tie the game. VU appealed the ruling and was denied as the umpires declared that he did tag and score.
It was the second straight late inning rally for Vanderbilt as they came back from a 3-1 deficit to No. 1 Rice yesterday in the seventh to win 7-3.
The Commodores handed the Sun Devils their first loss of the season to drop them to 4-1.
The Sun Devils got to VU starter Nick Christiani early, scoring three runs in the first to take a 3-0 lead. Sogard and Brett Wallace had back to back singles to start the game and ASU scored its first run on a RBI double by Ike Davis. RBI groundouts by Petey Parramore and Kiel Roling closed out the scoring in the frame.
The Commodores jumped on the board with two runs in the third to cut the lead to 3-2. Ryan Davis led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch by ASU starter Joey Parigi. David Macias then laced a RBI double down the leftfield line to make it 3-1. After a Pedro Alvarez single, Ryan Flaherty followed with a sacrifice fly to center to slice the advantage to one.
The Sun Devils came back with another run in the fourth to knock out Christiani. Cody Crowell came on in relief with the bases loaded and two outs in the frame and got slugger Ike Davis to ground out weakly to him to end the threat.
VU got that run back in the bottom of the fifth when David Macias walked, stole second and scored on a RBI single by Alex Feinberg.
Arizona State responded again with a run in the seventh on a RBI double by Matt Spencer to make it 5-3. The Dores were able to escape more damage as Crowell got pinch hitter Mike Leake to ground into a bases loaded double play to end the inning.
Crowell was effective in relief and helped stabilize the game according to coach Corbin. The junior southpaw gave up two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
Stephen Shao appeared in relief for the second straight game and gave up a hit with a strikeout in 0.2 innings of work.
Closer Casey Weathers (1-0) came on in the ninth and pitched two hitless innings of relief with three strikeouts to pick up the win.
Ike Davis (0-1) was charged with the loss after giving up the winning run on a hit in one inning of work with two walks and a strikeout.
The top three of the Vanderbilt lineup combined to go 8-for-13 with five RBI and four runs scored. Alex Feinberg and Pedro Alvarez led the Commodores with three hits each, while David Macias added two of his own.
The Commodores will conclude play in the three game tournament Sunday against Baylor at 2:30 p.m. The Bears lost to Houston in their first game Friday afternoon and takes on Rice tonight at 7 p.m.
Arizona State 300 100 110 0 – 6 11 0
Vanderbilt 002 010 300 1 – 7 9 0
Parigi, Bailey (6), Urlaub (7), B, Davis (7), Brader (7), I. Davis (9) and Roling, Parramore. Christiani, Crowell (4), Shao (8), Weathers (9) and Robin.W- Weathers 1-0. L- Ike Davis 0-1. Sv- none . HRs: VU: Alvarez (1).
