Vanderbilt blasts MTSU on Tuesday
MURFREESBORO, Tenn.--A game after giving up the most runs in the 15-year tenure of coach Tim Corbin, the Commodores turned the tables on Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday.
Vanderbilt pounded 21 hits in routing the Blue Raiders, 21-2, at Reese Smith Field. It tied the previous high for runs scored under Corbin, which came against Radford in the title game of the 2015 Nashville Regional.
Vanderbilt (23-15) reached base 32 times against 10 MTSU pitchers.
The Commodores scored 14 runs in the first three innings, highlighted by first baseman Julian Infante's grand slam.
Designated hitter Reed Hayes had four hits and six RBIs, third baseman Will Toffey also knocked in four with two hits. Second baseman Ethan Paul had a hit and three RBIs, and left fielder Stephen Scott had three hits.
The Blue Raiders had scored 69 runs in their last five games, plating at least 10 in each contest, but the Vandy pitching staff was up to the task.
Starting pitcher Chandler Day threw a pair of scoreless innings, and Murfreesboro native Collin Snider followed the worst outing of his career by giving up just one run in three innings.
Hayes also struck out the side to end the night.
After Middle starer Grant Williams registered two quick outs, Infante singled to left, Toffey walked, and Paul ripped a pitch into the gap in left-center for the game’s first two runs.
VU wasted little time in the second, loading the bases with nobody out. With one out, Scott lined a single for the third run, and Infante hit a grand-slam to left-center for a 7-0 advantage.
Middle pulled Williams for Will Small, who didn’t have much more success, with Hayes and Bleday adding RBI hits before the end of the second.
A Hayes triple to deep right-center highlighted the third.
Kiambu Fentress, pinch-hitting in the ninth, registered his first career hit.
Vanderbilt has now won two straight against MTSU.
Historically speaking, this hadn't been the easiest place for VU to play. The Blue Raiders beat VU in Murfreesboro last season, though the Commodores had won the previous two at Reese Smith Field before that.
On Saturday, the Commodores fell 20-8 to Florida in Nashville.
SCORING SUMMARY
V1: Paul double off Williams scored Infante and Toffey. V, 2-0
V2: Scott single to center off Williams scored Delay. V, 3-0
V2: Infante grand slam off Williams scores Kaiser, Kendall and Scott. V, 7-0
V2: Hayes double to deep left center off Small scores Toffey. V, 8-0
V2: Bleday single past first off Small scores Hayes. V, 9-0
V3: Clements walked Toffey to score Kaiser. V, 10-0
V3: Clements walked Paul to score Scott. V, 11-0
V3: Hayes tripled to center off Lester to score Infante, Toffey, Paul. V, 14-0
M4: Dennis single off Snider scored Kemp. V, 14-1
V6: Toffey single off Jackson scored Kendall and Scott. V, 16-1
M6: Aucker home run to left off King. V, 16-2
V7: Toffey single off Dennis scored Grisanti. V, 17-2
V7: Jones single over third scored Coleman. V, 18-2
V8: Hayes double to left-center off Dennis scored Brewer, Toffey. V, 20-2
V8: Duvall ground-out scored Jones. V, 21-2