Six-Run Sixth Inning Does in Raiders, 9-3

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Vanderbilt scored six runs in the sixth inning and used four pitchers to limit Middle Tennessee to eight hits in a 9-3 victory Tuesday night at Reese Smith Field.

The Blue Raiders led 1-0 heading to the sixth, with starter Chase Swing working out of trouble in the fourth and fifth innings. Dominic de la Osa's two-run homer in the sixth chased Swing from the game.

The Commodores added four more runs in the inning against three Middle Tennessee pitchers, breaking open the contest en route to VU's third straight win in the series.

Cody Crowell (2-0), the second of four Vandy hurlers, picked up the win with two shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out one. VU starter Ryan Rote, normally the team's closer, worked three innings, giving up a run on two hits and striking out four.

Swing worked 5.1 innings, the second longest outing of his career, in his first start of the season. The senior gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out one.

Freshman Nathan Hines had three of Middle Tennessee's eight hits, scoring a run and driving in another.

The Blue Raiders got on the board in the second, starting with a sharp single through the middle from Hines. A wild pitch moved the runner to second before an infield single off the glove of Rote, putting runners on the corners. Another wild pitch plated Hines for a 1-0 lead.

The Commodores threatened in the fourth with a pair of two-out singles, from Brian Hernandez and de la Osa, but Alex Feinberg flied out to end the inning.

In the fifth a hit batter and a two-out walk gave VU another scoring chance, with a wild pitch moving the runners to second and third. But Mike Baxter popped out to Swing for the third out.

The Commodores finally broke through in the sixth with a leadoff single from Warner Jones and a two-run homer deep into the football stadium from de la Osa, chasing Swing from the contest.

Vandy was not done in the inning, drawing a pair of walks before a chopper to right by Matt Zellar plated a run for a 3-1 VU lead. Stephen Shao drove in two more runs with a fisted single to center, and Shao later scored on a throwing error for a 6-1 advantage.

Three two-out singles in the bottom of the inning plated a run for the Blue Raiders, with Nate Jaggers, Michael McKenry and Hines all reaching. Jaggers scored on a single to left from Hines, but McKenry was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Hernandez's two-out double plated Shao with a run in the seventh for the Commodores, giving the visitors a 7-2 lead. Pinch-hitter Bill Kleinschrodt scored a run with a double in the ninth, as did a groundout from David Macias for a 9-2 Vandy lead.

Jaggers singled, McKenry was hit and Hines singled to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth, with Jaggers scoring on a fielder's choice from Beachum.

The Blue Raiders travel to Jonesboro, Ark., this weekend for a three-game series against Arkansas State. First-pitch Friday night at Tomlinson Field is set for 6:30 p.m.

GAME NOTES
Senior Chase Swing started the game for Middle Tennessee, just his seventh career start and second since his freshman year. Swing started May 11, 2004, versus Memphis, and drew one start against Vanderbilt his freshman season, tossing five shutout innings on May 14, 2002, in Murfreesboro.

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