Fourteen-run third helps Vandy blow out MTSU

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Vanderbilt set a school record for walks in a game, tied a Hawkins Field record for runs in a game, and nearly set a school record for runs in an inning, in a 21-4 demolition of Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday evening at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores posted a 14-run third inning to erase a 4-3 deficit. Vandy got those runs on nine hits, which included a two-run home run and a two-run double by Stephen Scott, who had three hits and drove in five.

Though he was officially 0-for-2, J.J. Bleday tied a school record with five walks. The last, which came with the bases loaded in the eighth, set a new team record for 19 walks, a feat last achieved in 1951.

Philip Clarke added two hits and three runs batted in for VU (28-24).

Vanderbilt pounded 15 hits and eclipsed the previous season high for runs (19), set against Austin Peay on Feb. 27.

The Blue Raiders threw 235 pitches, and just 112 for strikes.

Pitcher Maddux Conger, on with a 13-run lead to start the fourth, threw three scoreless innings, gave up three hits, just one walk, and punched out four. He picked up the victory in his best outing since spinning five scoreless innings against Presbyterian on Feb. 20.

Vanderbilt just missed setting the school record for runs in an inning, set in 1986, when the Commodores tallied 17 against St. Joseph's. Bleday struck out with two on to end the third.

Had Bleday reached, Pat DeMarco, who singled and walked in the third, would have batted for the third time in the inning.

The first seven men reached in the inning before Clarke struck out looking on three pitches.

But that only hit the pause button, as a pair of walks and then, doubles by Scott and Connor Kaiser, gave Vandy a nine-run lead.

It avenged the odd, seven-inning, 4-3 loss to the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro on April 3.

It didn't look easy until the third was over. The Blue Raiders had just scored four in the top of the frame to erase VU's 3-0 lead.

Scott and Kaiser opened the scoring in the first with two-out, RBI singles.

The Blue Raiders then had Kaiser picked off first, but Scott broke home from third. The throw went there, and then catcher Will Schnure threw the ball into left field, allowing Kaiser to score the inning's third run.

But Middle tied it two innings later, after two singles and a walk off Tyler Brown set the table for the Blue Raiders. The big hit was a Ryan Kemp ground ball just out of Kaiser's reach at short on a 2-2 pitch with two outs, scoring two.

Aaron Aucker lined a single to center two hitters later to put MTSU up a run.

Vanderbilt's RPI improved to 36th as of 10:40 on Saturday night.

Third baseman Harrison Ray was originally slated to start at third and hit ninth. Ray was scratched from the lineup about 30 minutes before the game due to an apparent injury concern. Gonzalez replaced him and hit ninth.

Walker Grisanti replaced Scott in left to start the seventh. He hadn't played since pinch-hitting against Georgia on April 5.

Tyler Solomon pinch-hit in the eighth, marking his sixth appearance this season, and his first since Feb. 27. He struck out.

A.J. Franklin pitched the ninth, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. It was his first appearance since Feb. 23.

Scott, who now has 10 home runs, became the first Commodore to reach double-digit homers this season.

MTSU registered all its outs on strikeouts in the 14-run third.

The Commodores sent just four hitters to the plate in the third and the fifth.

VU left 13 on base.

VU 1: Scott single off Paulk scores Clarke. VU, 1-0

VU 1: Kaiser's infield single off Paulk scored Bleday. VU, 2-0

VU 1: Throwing error on catcher Schnure scored Scott. VU, 3-0

MTSU 3: Woodard ground-out scored Sullivan. VU, 3-1

MTSU 3: Kemp single through short scored Myles, Dennis. Tied-3

MTSU 3: Aucker lines single to center, scoring Kemp. MTSU, 4-3

VU 3: Scott homer to right off Williams scored DeMarco. VU, 5-4

VU 3: Duvall single to right scored Kaiser. VU, 6-4

VU 3: Gonzalez single up the middle scored Paul. VU, 7-4

VU 3: Bleday walk scored Duvall. VU, 8-4

VU 3: Gonzalez scored on Spencer's wild pitch. VU, 9-4

VU 3: Martin scored on Spencer's wild pitch. VU, 10-4

VU 3: Scott doubles to left, scoring DeMarco and Bleday. VU, 12-4

VU 3: Kaiser doubled to left, scoring Scott. VU, 13-4

VU 3: Gonzalez singled past third, scoring Kaiser. VU, 14-4

VU 3: Clarke single scored Gonzalez and Duvall, VU 16-4

VU 3: Martin scored on a passed ball. VU, 17-4

VU 5: Duvall scored as Martin reaches on error. VU, 18-4

VU 5: Gonzalez scored on Clark's ground-out. VU, 19-4

VU 7: Infante scored on DeMarco's ground-out. VU, 20-4

VU 8: Paul scored on Bleday walk. VU, 21-4