Blue Raiders fall to No. 1 Vanderbilt 9-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee fell behind early and could not catch up as No. 1 Vanderbilt took a 9-1 win Tuesday night at Charles Hawkins Field.

Senior Will Skinner and junior Justin Guidry led the Blue Raider offense with two hits each as the team had just four. Skinner picked up the lone RBI for the Blue Raiders while freshman Hank LaRue scored their only run.

R-sophomore Joey McClung took the loss for Middle Tennessee on the mound after allowing seven runs on seven hits in two innings of work. Senior Hunter Dawson worked three innings in relief allowing one run on one hit and striking out three.

Juniors Matthew Drake and Guidry ended the game on the mound working three innings between them allowing just one run on one hit and Guidry struck out three batters.

VU's Pecoraro took the win improving to 5-0 on the season after allowing just one run on one hit in two innings of work on a designated staff day for the Commodores. VU used four relievers in the game who gave up just three hits to the Blue Raider hitters.

The Commodores had nine hits on the day with four batters each recording a team high two hits.

Skinner singled down the right field line with two outs in the first allowing LaRue to score from third and give the Blue Raiders an early 1-0 lead over VU.

The Commodores responded quickly scoring a run on a groundout to third. Then Casali hit a ball in shallow right field that got lost in the sun and dropped allowing runners at first and second to score, 3-1.

In the second, Gomez singled up the middle driving in another run for the Commodores. With runners at first and third, Esposito hit a home run to left field giving VU a six run lead, 7-1.

VU added one run each in the fifth and sixth running its lead out to eight, 9-1.

The Blue Raiders will play host to Austin Peay Wednesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field. Middle Tennessee will then travel to Little Rock, Ark., for its weekend series with UALR.

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