Vandy Nips State In 10 To Sweep Series
May 02, 2004 | Baseball
Official Game Statistics (PDF)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Aaron Garza's bases-loaded two-out infield grounder in the 10th inning scored Warner Jones Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field, giving Vanderbilt a 5-4 win over Mississippi State and its first SEC series sweep of the Bulldogs. The Commodores improved to 31-13 overall and 10-11 in the SEC while MSU concluded a season-longest eight-game road run, slipped to 28-18 overall and 8-13 in league play.
Garza's game-winning hit capped a comeback effort for the Commodores, who trailed 3-0 before plating their first run in the sixth inning.
State put base-runners in scoring position in six of the first seven innings, scoring single tallies in the first, fourth and sixth off Vandy starter Matt Buschmann. Brad Corley looped a two-out single and scored on a Brad Corley double to left-center, Tatum added his ninth home run of the season to lead off the fourth and the Bulldogs parlayed a walk, a Tyler Jones single and a pair of same-play errors by Vanderbilt to take a 3-0 lead in the sixth.
Vandy scored its first run of the game when Cesar Nicholas singled to left, stole second, and with two outs scored from second on a wild pitch by MSU starter Jeff Lacher. Lacher, who had scattered five hits over the first six innings, ran into difficulties in the seventh. A lead-off double by Garza, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly plated one run. Back-to-back two-out singles by Ryan Klosterman and Mike Baxter then chased Lacher from the game. SEC hitting leader Warner Jones greeted relief man Jamie Gant with an run-scoring double to right, and a throwing error on the play scored the third run in the inning for a 4-3 Vandy lead.
State answered with a run in the eighth off a fresh Vandy pitcher, Stephen Shao. Brad Jones opened the frame with a single up the middle and scored from first on Tyler Scarbrough?s pinch-hit single to left. Scarbrough, racing to second base on the play, was called out on a disputed play at second base. Vandy then turned to Jensen Lewis, who retired the next two batters to end the inning and allowed just one base-runner during his 2-2/3 innings on the mound.
The Commodores, held scoreless by Gant in the eighth and ninth, gave up a one-out single by Warner Jones in the 10th inning. State brought in Saunders Ramsey, and Cesar Nicholas greeted him with a single to right. Ramsey retired Tony Mansolino on a fly to center field, but was unable to get the final out. Worth Scott beat out an infield dribbler to short and Bulldog shortstop Steve Gendron was unable to make a play on Garza?s grounder, scoring the winning run.
The final inning was spiced by a heated argument by Bulldog skipper Ron Polk, who for the second time in as many weekends was tossed from the game, this time for a balls and strikes disagreement with plate umpire Tim Clougherty.
Lewis (5-4) got the win in relief while Gant (4-5) was tagged with the loss. State starter Jeff Lacher scattered eight hits, walked one, struck out five and was charged with four runs in 6-2/3 innings of work. Vandy?s Buschmann gave up three runs on nine hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Steve Gendron, Craig Tatum, Thomas Berkery and Tyler Jones had two hits each to lead MSU's 12-hit attack. Tatum drove in two runs and belted a double and his third home run in four games. Ryan Klosterman and Warner Jones had 3-for-5 plate performances for Vanderbilt.
It was the second consecutive last at-bat Sunday loss on the road for the MSU, battling for its 17th straight SEC Tournament berth. State enters the eighth weekend of the league season and with 9 SEC games to go, MSU is in 10th place.
The Bulldogs return to action this weekend, taking on the Georgia Bulldogs in a three-game SEC series. The MSU-UG series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field.
| VANDERBILT 5, MISSISSIPPI STATE 4 (10 inn.) | ||||||
| MSU | 100 | 101 | 010 | 0 | --- | 4-12-2 |
| Vanderbilt | 000 | 001 | 300 | 1 | --- | 5-13-3 |
WP --- Jensen Lewis (5-4). LP --- Jamie Gant (4-5) . HR --- Craig Tatum (9). T --- 2:46 . ATT --- 1,017
