Despite the bitter cold, Vanderbilt's offense reached new heights on Tuesday.
Center fielder Pat DeMarco hit a grand slam as part of a 13-run third inning, as Vanderbilt blasted Davidson, 24-2, at Hawkins Field on Tuesday afternoon.
It's the most runs the Commodores (10-2) have scored in their 1,035 games under coach Tim Corbin.
It's also the most VU scored since beating Valparaiso, 24-0, in 1991.
Oddly enough, Davidson coach Rucker Taylor was part of Corbin's first VU team in 2003. His Wildcats dropped to 6-4.
DeMarco’s grand slam over the big wall in left, in the third inning off right-hander Noah Tacac, highlighted the day. The sophomore was 2 for 4 with three runs scored and six batted in.
Second baseman Ethan Paul had three hits and five RBIs.
Starter Chance Huff went six innings, giving up two runs (both earned) while striking out seven and walking three. He picked up the win.
It also marked the debut of highly-touted pitcher Austin Becker, who was spectacular in fanning eight over three innings of work. The freshman walked two and threw 49 pitches and was credited with a save.
The Wildcats made five errors and threw 122 pitches before registering the first out in the third and 158 before that frame was over.
The game started at 1:02, and the first pitch of the fourth didn’t come until 2:55.
Vanderbilt scored five runs with two outs in the first.
DeMarco started it with a bases-loaded walk. Paul continued it with a bases-loaded liner on a 3-1 pitch that rolled to the wall for a bases-clearing double. Third baseman Harrison Ray then lined a single over second for the last run, all coming off starter Blake Hely.
The start time was moved from 4:30 to 1 due to the cold. The game-time temperature was 34 degrees, and temperatures are expected to dip into the 20s after sunset.
Notes
Becker was touching 94 with his fastball.
Several other freshmen, middle infielder Tate Kolwyck and first baseman John Malcom, made their collegiate debuts. Malcom drove in a run in the seventh in his first at bat.
Outfielder Isaiah Thomas and middle infielder Sterling Hayes had their first plate appearances. Hayes walked in his.
Ray started at third and moved to center.
Walker Grisanti started at DH. He went 2 for 3, walked twice, scored twice, and drove in two.
Huff threw a career high 102 pitches.
Vanderbilt batted around twice in the third. Ray made the first and last outs of the inning.
Davidson threw 267 pitches
Scoring summary
V1: DeMarco walk scored Davis. V, 1-0
V1: Paul double scored Martin, Bleday and DeMarco. V, 4-0
V1: Ray single to center scored Paul. V, 5-0
V2: Bleday scored on DeMarco’s fly ball to left. V, 6-0
V2: Grisanti double scored Clarke. V, 7-0
V3: Scott walk scored Davis. V, 8-0
V3: Clarke single through second scored Martin. V, 9-0
V3: DeMarco grand slam scored Clarke, Scott, Bleday. V, 13-0
V3: Grisanti single up the middle scored Paul. V, 14-0
V3: Grisanti scored on Bleday sacrifice fly to right. V, 15-0
V3: Scott double off the wall in left scored Gonzalez, Martin. V, 17-0
V3: DeMarco double to left scored Scott. V, 18-0
V3: Paul double to left scored DeMarco and Clarke. V, 20-0
D4: Nussbaum single to left scored Centracchio. V, 20-1
D5: Lebek double to left off Huff scored Jones. V, 20-2
V6: Bleday double to right center scored Gonzalez, Ray. V, 22-2
V7: Malcolm ground-out scored Hogan. V, 23-2.
V7: Hayes scored on wild pitch. V, 24-2
