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Freshmen lead Vandy to Game 3 win over Duke

Vandy's Chandler Day drew the Sunday start.
Vandy's Chandler Day drew the Sunday start. (Vanderbilt University)

Freshmen Philip Clarke, Pat DeMarco, Mason Hickman and Austin Martin all did their part on Sunday in helping Vanderbilt to a 9-1, series-clinching win over Duke at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores scored two in the fifth and five in the sixth to break open a close game and clinch the three-game series.

Hickman threw five scoreless relief innings, striking out seven and picking up a win.

DeMarco, who started in right field after two starts in center, led Vandy with three hits while scoring two runs and knocking in two.

Martin hit a solo homer and scored two runs, while Clarke had a hit and led VU with three RBIs.

It was close early. The Commodores held a 2-1 lead after starter Chandler Day (six strikeouts, one earned run in four innings) exited after a 62-pitch outing.

The Blue Devils then made good contact off Hickman in his first inning of work.

Jimmy Herron singled to lead off the fifth, and then Julian Infante made a nice play on a ball that All-American Griffin Conine hit to first.

Paul then made a terrific leaping grab to snare a line drive from Kennie Taylor, turning what was likely an RBI hit into a double play.

Hickman walked a man with one out in the sixth, but got a double play to get out of that.

From that point on, the freshman right-hander was tough to hit. He gave up a pair of singles to start the seventh, but struck out a pair of hitters and got a weak looper to second to end that.

Vandy's Martin led off the bottom of the first with a home run over the big wall in left, then, Infante took a bases-loaded walk to force in a second run.

In the fifth, Clarke hit a fly ball to shallow left that found room between Duke shortstop Zack Kone and the left fielder Herron, making the lead 4-1.

Clarke and Paul added two-RBI singles from there, as Hickman held the Blue Devils down from there.

Veterans Alonzo Jones and Connor Kaiser also had two hits, with Kaiser reaching base a third time on a walk.

Next, Vanderbilt hosts Presbyterian for Tuesday and Wednesday games.

NOTES

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Freshman Jayson Gonzalez threw a runner out at home on an infield grounder in the third, and added two hits.

Freshmen Hickman, Garrett Blaylock and Tyler Solomon made their collegiate debuts. Solomon entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and Blaylock was a defensive replacement for Gonzalez at third.

Kiambu Fentress came in to replace Jones in center for his season debut.

SCORING SUMMARY

VU 1: Martin home run to left. VU, 1-0

VU 1: Infante bases-loaded walk scores Paul. VU, 2-0

DU 3: Labowsky double to left-center scores Herron. VU, 2-1

VU 5: Clarke single to left scores Kaiser, DeMarco. VU, 4-1

VU 6: Jones scores on Chillari's throwing error. VU, 5-1

VU 6: Paul single scores Kaiser and Martin. VU, 7-1

VU 6: Scott single scores Paul. VU, 8-1

VU 6: Clarke RBI ground-out scores DeMarco. VU, 9-1

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