Infante's seven RBIs help VU slam Missouri

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Two-out hitting was big for Vanderbilt in its 14-5 win over Missouri on Sunday.

The Commodores knocked in 11 runs with two down, and collected 15 hits on the day. Vandy’s Julian Infante had three doubles and drove in seven, the most RBIs for a VU player in a single game since Dominic de la Osa did it in 2006.

Left-handed reliever Zach King also gave VU a big boost, retiring the last 16 men he faced.

Vanderbilt took the series from Missouri, one day after the Tigers snapped VU’s 15-game winning streak in games between the teams.

Kendall tripled past first off starter Bryce Montes De Oca with one out in the first, and with two outs, Hayes singled hard up the middle for the game’s first run.

Vanderbilt got four runs in the second without hitting the ball hard. Paul reached on a fly ball double just over the head of shortstop Chris Cornelius, who appeared to lose it in the sun.

That was big, because after Montes De Oca hit Ray and Scott with pitches, Infante dumped a fly ball into left-center in just the right spot for a bases-loaded, two-out double.

But it didn’t last. Day walked the bases loaded in the third, and a single and a sacrifice fly scored the Tigers’ first two runs.

Both came off Colin Snider, brought in to clean up Day’s mess. The junior created one for himself in the fourth, giving up three walks and a pair of singles as Missouri took a 5-4 lead.

But Reed Hayes, who’s come through in so many big spots, slammed a double into the left-field corner, scoring Scott and chasing Montes De Oca with one out in the fourth while tying the game.

Delay then lined a two-out, two-RBI single off Andy Toelken, putting VU up two again.

In the fifth, VU’s Infante doubled into the left field corner, scoring two more with two outs. He added another two-out double to deep left-center the next inning.

It wasn’t such a good day for VU pitching outside of King. Day and Snider combined to give up five earned runs on four hits and seven walks.