Grisanti's career day leads Commodores past ETSU

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Walker Grisanti doesn’t get a lot of these opportunities, but he made the most of Wednesday's.

The senior left fielder, making his first start this year, set a career in hits (four) and tied a career high in RBIs ( three), leading VU to a 12-4 victory over East Tennessee State at Hawkins Field.

Right fielder J.J. Bleday added three hits, including a home run, while second baseman Ethan Paul had two hits and tied Grisanti with a team-leading three RBIs.

VU’s bullpen had a good day, too. Jackson Gillis, Mason Hickman and A.J. Franklin combined to shut out ETSU while striking out six in six innings.

Vanderbilt improved to 11-2, and won its fifth straight.

Erik Kaiser, making his first appearance of the season, as well as his first career start, gave up four runs—all earned—in three innings.

Grisanti, starting in left and hitting in the leadoff hole for the first time this season, tripled to the right-field gap to lead off VU’s first. After second baseman Austin Martin walked, Bleday doubled almost to the wall in right. Clarke and Paul drove in runs with a ground-out and single, respectively, later in the inning.

In the second—after just missing a home run to right on the previous pitch—Grisanti hit the next pitch on a line off the top of the wall in the left-field alley for a double to score first baseman Julian Infante.

"I'm just staying relaxed, really," Grisanti said, when asked about the key to his success. "I was trying to do too much last year. My mind wasn't right. I just think about being relaxed, and that's the main thing."

Kaiser started well but got hit hard the second time around the order. Cullen Smith clubbed a homer to right-center, then Cade Gilbert and Ethan Cady led off the fourth with a single and triple, respectively, to cut the lead to 8-4.

But Gillis came in and slammed the door on the inning with a strikeout and a pair of infield pop-ups.

Bleday led off the fourth with a home run to right-center off lefty side-armer Daulton Montagna that easily cleared the bleachers.

Bleday extended his on-base streak to 41 games.

Paul extended his hitting streak to 15.

Infante started at first, his first start since the season opener vs. Virginia.

Kaiser threw seven pitches in the first, six for strikes.

VU has scored in the first inning in eight of 13 games this year.

Third baseman Harrison Ray laid down a sacrifice bunt in the third, VU’s first of the season.

Gillis was consistently hitting 91 with his fastball in his first inning of work, and touched 92.

Paid attendance was 2,665.

V1: Bleday double scored Grisanti. VU, 1-0

V1: Martin scored on Clarke’s ground-out. VU, 2-0

V1: Paul single through the right side scored Bleday. VU, 3-0

V2: Grisanti double to left scored Infante. VU, 4-0

E3: Smith homer to right-center off Kaiser scored Emmertz and Lyle. VU, 4-3

V3: DeMarco double to left scored Scott. VU, 5-3

V3: Paul single up the middle scored Clarke, DeMarco. VU, 7-3

V3: Grisanti single to center scored Paul. VU, 8-3

E4: Cady triple to right-center off Kaiser scored Gilbert. VU, 8-4

V4: Bleday home run to right-center. VU, 9-4

V6: Scott’s infield single scored Martin. VU, 10-4

V6: Clarke's sacrifice fly to center scored Bleday. VU, 11-4

V7: Grisanti single to right scored Ray. VU, 12-4