Lewis Belts Grand Slam As MSU Clinches Vandy Series With 9-1 Win
March 16, 2003 | Baseball
| Brent Lewis (3) and teammates celebrate the slam. |
Left-handers Ryan Mullins for Vandy and MSU's Todd Nicholas engaged in a scoreless pitching duel for four innings. But Mississippi State, after stranding six base runners over the first four frames, sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the fifth inning. Matthew Maniscalco opened the frame with a single, stole second, and after a walk and infield single by Matthew Brinson loaded the bases, scored the game's first run on Brad Corley's sacrifice fly to right field.
| Todd Nicholas pitched five innings of no-hit ball. |
Nicholas (2-0) no-hit the Commodores over the first five frames before giving up three consecutive singles to open the sixth. But sophomore lefty worked out of the jam without giving up a run, and ended his career-longest 6.1-inning, four-hit pitching performance after giving up a one-out single and a walk in the seventh inning. Freshman Jamie Gant then replaced Nicholas, walking the first batter he faced before giving up an RBI single to Zach Simpson. Gant retired the next two batters to douse the VU rally and blanked the Commodores over the final two innings.
| Matthew Maniscalco continued his torrid pace at the plate with a two-hit day. |
Mississippi State travels to Memphis, Tenn., Tuesday and Wednsday for a pair of 7 p.m. games against the Memphis Tigers at AutoZone Park.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 9, VANDERBILT 1
VU 000 000 100 -- 1 6 0MSU 000 050 40x -- 9 12 1
WP -- Todd Nicholas (2-0). LP -- Ryan Mullins (1-2). HR -- Brent Lewis (1). T -- 2:46. ATT -- 5,728 (paid), 1,630 (actual).
