Courtesy of Vanderbilt Sports Information Department
NASHVILLE — The Vanderbilt baseball team fell to the 18th-ranked LSU Tigers, 17-4, in the second game of a three-game series held in Nashville, Tenn. With the score tied 4-4 after five innings, LSU came up with a five-run sixth inning and an eight-run ninth to put away the Commodores and lead the series, 2-0.
The Commodores fell to 10-11 on the season, 0-5 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Tigers are now 15-8, 3-2 in the SEC.
LSU reliever Hunter Gomez (3-0) entered the game in the fourth and pitched 5 2/3 innings for the win, not allowing a run in the game. VU starter Chris Maultsby (0-1) was handed his first loss of the year after giving up seven runs on five hits in five innings of work.
Third baseman Ashley Freeman was the highlight of the day for Vanderbilt going a perfect 4-for-4 in the game with a double and triple. He also tallied two RBI.
LSU was led by second baseman Mike Fontenot who went 3-for-5 with two home runs in back-to-back plate appearances. Brad Hawpe also had three hits for the Tigers.
In the second inning, VU took a 1-0 lead as LSU starter walked Ashley Freeman with bases loaded.
The Tigers tied the game in the third with Fontenot’s solo homer, but VU would answer in the bottom of the inning with a sac fly from Adam Blue to still maintain the lead, 2-1.
Both teams tallied two runs in the fourth. LSU went up 3-2 after Brad Cresse scored on a wild pitch and Hawpe scored on a ground out to the short stop. Vanderbilt scored on a RBI triple from Freeman and a RBI single by Karl Nonemaker in the bottom of inning bringing score to, 4-3.
The Tigers tied the game, 4-4, on Fontenot’s second homer of the game in the fifth. LSU took control of the game in the sixth scoring five runs on five hits as 10 batters made their way to the plate in the inning. In the ninth, LSU took advantage of three VU relievers in the inning scoring eight runs for the 17-4 win.
The two teams conclude the series tomorrow, March 19 at 1 p.m.