NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Vanderbilt survived Georgia's six-run sixth inning comeback, outlasting the visiting Bulldogs, 16-8, at Hawkins Field on Saturday afternoon.
Georgia's Connor Tate hit a grand slam off Bryce Cunningham to tie the game at 8 in the sixth. But The Commodores bounced back for three in the bottom of the inning and added five more in the eighth.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., RJ Schreck and Chris Maldonado led Vanderbilt with three hits each. Maldonado and Matthew Polk each had a team-high three RBIs.
Cunningham picked up the win with 3 2/3 innings of three-run ball.
The Commodores (22-5, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) took the series and retained sole possession of the overall conference lead.
Vanderbilt starter Hunter Owen was sharp early and the offense staked him to an 8-2 lead before Owen ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing an infield single, a walk and a hustle double from Sebastian Murillo that scored a run with two out. By that point, Owen’s control hasn’t been as sharp and the Commodores turned to Bryce Cunningham, who walked pinch-hitter Cole Wagner on a 3-2 pitch and then gave up a single through first on a 2-2 pitch to cut the lead to 8-4.
Tate lined a wind-aided grand slam to right later in the inning to tie it.
Georgia’s Charlie Condon hit a mammoth solo shot to left in the first but Bradfield answered with a wind-aided homer to right to answer on the first pitch of the bottom of the inning. Maldonado dumped Liam Sullivan’s 1-2 pitch into right-center to score Screck and Austin just after both pulled a successful double-steal and the Commodores led by two after an inning.
With two out and the bases loaded in the third, Polk rolled a two-out single past third to score Screck and Austin.
Meanwhile, Owen was good; he allowed just one runner in each of the second, third and fourth before loading the bases with one out in the fifth. Condon flied out to center to score a run but Owen found a different gear, bumping his fastball—which had been sitting 92-04—up to 95-97 to the dangerous Levi Harber, who he struck out with a 97-mile-an-hour heater to end that threat.
Owen ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing an infield single, a walk and a hustle double from Sebastian Murillo that scored a run with two out.
By that point, Owen’s control hasn’t been as sharp and the Commodores turned to Cunningham, who walked pinch-hitter Wagner on a 3-2 pitch and then gave up a single through first on a 2-2 pitch to cut the lead to 8-4.
After Ben Anderson singled in a run, Tate then drove a pitch just out to right for a grand slam to tie the game at 8.
But Vandy got it back and then some in the sixth thanks to some help from Georgia. The Bulldogs’ Will Pearson gave up a single to Jack Bulger and then hit Austin with an 0-2 pitch, then, Maldonado hit one off the big wall in left.
Tim Corbin, coaching third, waved Bulger around to score.Tate’s throw from left got past third baseman Will David, who didn’t see it as it went several feet in front of him, which allowed Austin to score. Noland then singled to center to make the lead three.
Vanderbilt then scored eight unanswered runs to finish things.
GA 1: Condon home run to left off Owen. VU, 1-0
VU 1: Bradfield Jr. home run to right off Sullivan. Tied-1
VU 1: Maldonado single to right-center scores Schreck, Austin. VU, 3-1
VU 3: Polk single through third scored Schreck, Austin. VU, 5-1
GA 5: Condon sacrifice fly to center. VU, 5-2
VU 5: Polk single through third scored Maldonado. VU, 6-2
VU 5: Vastine single to right scored Noland. VU, 7-2
VU 5: Diaz single to center scored Polk. VU, 8-2
GA 6: Merillo single to left scored David. VU, 8-3
GA 6: Anderson single through first scored Gonzalez. VU, 8-4
GA 6: Tate grand slam to right scored Murillo, LaPlante and Anderson. Tied-8
VU 6: Maldonado double scored Bulger; Austin scores on Tate error. VU, 10-8
VU 6: Noland single scored Maldonado. VU, 11-8
VU 8: Vastine single scored Noland. VU, 12-8
VU 8: Bradfield single scored Noland. VU, 13-8
VU 8: Diaz ground-out scored Hewett. VU, 14-8
VU 8: Schreck single scored Diaz. VU, 15-8
VU 8: Austin single scored Screck. VU, 16-8
