Vanderbilt’s bats come alive to down Golden Eagles

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt scored in five consecutive innings Saturday in a 12-1 win over Tennessee Tech at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores tallied 12 hits and worked a season-high 10 runs at the plate against the Golden Eagles while four Commodore pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts on the mound.

RJ Schreck and Chris Maldonado each had three-hit performances in the win with Schreck coming up three shy of hitting for the cycle. Davis Diaz drove in a team-high three runs.

The Commodores scored 12 unanswered after falling behind 1-0 early.

Tennessee Tech used a pair of bloop singles sprinkled around the walk to score the first run of the game in the top of the second.

Schreck tied the game at 1-1 with a two-run solo shot to right that traveled 416 feet. The current graduate transfer has homered three times as a Commodore, all in the last four games.

Dores batted around in the bottom of the fourth with a five-run frame. Jonathan Vastine worked a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on an error by the second basemen. Maldonado then blasted a single to center to score Vastine.

Parker Noland then drove a double off the top of the wall in right to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After Jack Bulger walked to load the bases, Matthew Polk hit into a fielder’s choice with Vastine scoring on the play to give Vandy a 3-1 lead.

The inning continued when Enrique Bradfield Jr. worked a two-out walk and RJ Austin roped a two-run single to left that scored Bradfield and Polk. Schreck never missed his second home run of the day, hitting an RBI double into the gap in right-center to put the Commodores ahead 6-1.

Maldonado continued his hot streak in the fifth with his third hit of the game. After a leadoff walk by Vastine, Maldonado laced a double to right center, scoring Vastine from the start.

A sac fly by Polk would score Maldonado to make it an 8-1 game through five.

Dores put the crooked number on the board again at six. This time it was Diaz who supplied the power as the two pupils launched both shots into the left centre. Back-to-back walks brought in the freshman Tennessee Tech pitcher who was greeted with an RBI single through the right side by Noland.

Vanderbilt made it 12-1 in the bottom of the seventh when Austin doubled and scored on a groundout.

Devin Futrell picked up his third win of the year. Grayson Moore got the start on the bump for Vandy and struck out five over 3.2 innings, allowing one run. Bryce Cunningham and Jack Anderson each worked two innings, both striking out three with no hits allowed.

Tuesday’s win marked No. 850 at Vanderbilt for head coach Tim Corbin. In his 21st season, Corbin passed the 950 career victory mark earlier this season.

Vanderbilt (9-4) is at home again Wednesday against Evansville. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. with the action broadcast on SEC Network +.