Vanderbilt's frustrating stretch of baseball continued, as Mother Nature and MTSU found a creative way to defeat the Commodores, 4-3, at Reese Smith Field in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Tuesday evening.

The game was called with visiting Vanderbilt leading 7-4 with two outs in the top of the eighth. The Commodores' Alonzo Jones had just hit a grand slam to give VU the lead minutes before 9 p.m. Central, with a heavy thunderstorm headed towards the park and lightning in the area.

With Austin Martin, VU's next hitter, at the plate, umpires suspended play due to lightning within six minutes of the park. The rain began and after over an hour of delay, and plenty more still in the area, umpires met with coaches of both teams, and awarded victory to the Blue Raiders, the final score reverting to what it had been at the completion of the last full inning since MTSU didn't get to bat for its half of the eighth as Vanderbilt did.

Coaches from both teams agreed to accept the outcome of the game after five innings had been played, rather than resume a suspended game later if it came to that. Despite thunderstorms forecast within the window of the game, the 6:00 first pitch time wasn't moved up. *

Vanderbilt has now lost five games in a row, and five consecutive mid-week contests--all coming to teams with lower RPIs than the Commodores.

It's Vanderbilt's longest losing streak since 2012, and is one game short of the longest losing streak under coach Tim Corbin, which came in Corbin's first year at VU (2003).

Freshman third baseman Jayson Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in the fourth, accounting for VU's only official runs of the night.

Middle struck first when a pair of infield singles off starter Jake Eder netted a first-inning run.

The Commodores finally got going in the fourth, when, with a stiff breeze blowing to center, Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to right-center off right-hander Carter Bair.

But Vandy gave it back in the fifth, when Aaron Aucker hit a two-run homer to left off Eder.

MTSU then went ahead in the sixth, when No. 9 hitter Kevin Sullivan hit a fly ball off Tyler Brown to the wall in left that Martin got a glove on, but couldn't handle, scoring Huff from first.

The Commodores trailed 4-3 heading into the eighth, but MTSU's Andy Wright walked Julian Infante and Ethan Paul to start the inning.

The Blue Raiders then moved third baseman Drew Huff, the team's closer, to the mound. Huff struck out Pat DeMarco swinging, but walked Ty Duvall.

That set the stage for Jones, who rocketed a 3-2 pitch over the 365-foot portion of the wall to give the Commodores a three-run lead.

With Martin at the plate next, and a 3-2 count, umpires suspended play due to lightning within six miles of the field.

* PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The fourth paragraph of this story was revised on Wednesday as we learned the facts surrounding the ending of the game, which included a pregame coaches' agreement not to resume a suspended game later.

Starting right fielder J.J. Bleday, who suffered an oblique injury, didn't play on Tuesday after sitting out all weekend. Vanderbilt hopes to have him back for the weekend.

There was a strong wind blowing to center early in the game.

Catcher Ty Duvall threw out a man trying to steal in the fourth.

VU had two runners in each of the first and second, but each time, ran itself out of innings when runners were caught stealing.

MTSU 1: Bennefield RBI infield single scored Dennis. MTSU, 1-0

VU 3: Gonzalez homer to right-center scored DeMarco, Duvall. VU, 3-1.

MTSU 5: Aucker homer to left scored Dennis. Tied-3

MTSU 6: Sullivan double to left scored Huff. MTSU, 4-3