Vandy out-lasts Belmont on Wednesday

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—In an ugly game that took nearly 4 1/2 hours, Vanderbilt outlasted Belmont, 17-11, at First Tennessee Park on Wednesday night.

Third baseman Will Toffey and first baseman Julian Infante each had four hits and a home run, with Toffey driving in six, and Infante, three. Reed Hayes, Harrison Ray and Alonzo Jones each knocked in a pair.

Coach Tim Corbin had to white-knuckle another bullpen meltdown, as VU nearly blew a nine-run lead after six innings. VU pitchers Matt McGarry, Jackson Gillis and Collin Snider combined to give up seven runs with two out in the sixth, pulling Belmont, down 13-4 entering the inning, to within two.

It nearly got worse. The Bruins had the tying run at the plate with one out in the seventh, after Nick Egli had tripled to right. But Snider struck out Rafael Bournigal and Chas Hadden looking to end the inning.

In the top of the eighth, the ‘Dores got an RBI double from Reed Hayes, a run-scoring single from Toffey, and homer to left center from Infante.

The teams combined to throw 429 pitches.

Infante ripped a double, Stephen Scott lined a single hard to right, and after Ray reached on a fielder’s choice ground-out to score Infante in the first.

But VU left two on, and Belmont went ahead 3-1 the next inning when Kyle Conger singled to right to drive in two.

Vandy exploded for seven in the fourth. Hayes singled in a pair, and then Toffey crushed a long drive to right that hit the base of the wall. Belmont right fielder Brennan Washington crashed into the wall hard as he chased it, giving Toffey an easy three-run, inside-the-park home run.

Washington lay on the warning track for several minutes, nearly motionless, until he walked off the field on his own power.

The 'Dores added four more in the field, including run-scoring singles by Toffey and Infante.

It was a tough evening for Day, who gave up six hits, walked three, and hit a batter in four innings of work, during which he gave up four runs (all earned).

It was even worse for McGarry, who spent two innings warming up in the bullpen before he got the call to start the fifth. The sophomore walked four and gave up five runs--all earned--in 1 2/3 innings.

NOTES

Ty Duvall started at catcher, marking the second time Jason Delay hasn’t started there this season.

Kendall made a great play in a Ben Kocher line drive in the first, running it down in deep left-center to save two runs.

Day’s fastball was sitting 88-89 and touched 90, on the stadium gun, which is said to be 2-3 miles an hour slow.

Belmont pitcher Tyler Alderfer left the game after being struck in the face by an Ethan Paul line drive.

Freshman Alex Brewer pinch-hit for Toffey in the ninth and took a two-out walk.

B1: Bournigal single to left off Day scores Conger. B, 1-0

V2: Ray single scores Infante.

B2: Conger single off Day scores Payne, Washington. B, 3-1

V4: Hayes single off Lovell scores Duvall, Paul. T-3

V4: Toffey inside-the-park home run off Lovell scores Kendall and Hayes. V, 6-3

V4: Jones reaches on fielders’ choice RBI off Reynolds. V, 7-3

V4: Scott scored on Reynolds wild pitch. V, 8-3

B4: Ward sacrifice fly to center off Day scores Conger. B, 8-4

V5: Toffey single to right off Reynolds scores Kendall. V, 9-4

V5: infante single through short scores Hayes. V, 10-4

V5: Ray infield single scores Toffey. V, 11-4

V5: Jones walk scores Infante. V, 12-4

V6: Toffey single off Matter scores Paul. V, 13-4

B6: McGarry wild pitch scores Holland. V, 13-5

B6: Egli single off McGarry scores Cogen. V, 13-6

B6: Egli scores as Payne hit by McGarry pitch. V, 13-7

B6: Walsh singles to left off Gillis, Bournigal and Kocher score, and Scott error scores Payne. V, 13-10

B6: Walsh scores on Paul error. V, 13-11

V8: Hayes double to left scores Kendall. V, 14-11

V8: Toffey single to right-center scores Hayes. V, 15-11.

V8: Infante homer to left-center scores Toffey.