NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Saint Mary's went toe-to-toe with the Dores once again Saturday afternoon, taking a 4-0 lead in the third and a 7-4 lead in the sixth. Vanderbilt showcased their bullpen depth though as they kept the Gaels off the scoreboard for the final three innings, allowing their offense to put up nine runs in the seventh to seal the 13-7 victory.
Donovan Chriss battled through five innings and left with the lead but an offensive explosion in the seventh would prove the difference for the 15th ranked Commodores.
Eddie Madrigal had two hits and two RBI's while
Jared Mettam blasted his second homer of the season with a two-run shot in the third.
Aiden Taurek also had a sac fly and a fielder's choice to plate two runs, bringing his season RBI total to seven.
3RD INNING
UC San Diego transfer
Donovan Chriss got his second start for Saint Mary's and was clean through three innings, allowing just two hits to keep Vanderbilt off the scoreboard. The Gaels offense gave him some support in the top of the third with a four spot highlighted by a two-run blast from shortstop
Jared Mettam. Mettam worked the count full and sat on a 93 mile an hour heater, sending it over the left field fence for his second homer of the season.
The message from Gaels hitting coach
Jack Meggs, make McElvain locate his fastball and punish him on off speed stuff in the zone. The Gaels had a great approach the majority of the game, working eight walks and getting hit four times, tallying twelve free passes.
Eddie Madrigal doubled off the right field wall earlier in the inning to score
Tanner Griffith for the game's first run.
Aiden Taurek then plated
Ryan Pierce from third with a sac fly to center before Mettam's two-run blast to complete the four-run inning.
Chriss fought his way through a tough fourth inning, allowing four runs on four hits to tie the game up but came back out for the fifth and retired the Commodores in order before departing the game.
6TH INNING
Cody Kashimoto and
Tanner Griffith worked back-to-back full counts and earned a walk and a hit by pitch to put runners on with one out in the sixth.
Ryan Pierce would get to first with a four-pitch walk and then Madrigal would take a ball off the foot to score Kashimoto from third.
The Gaels would force a pitching change as Vanderbilt brought in freshman flame thrower England Bryan. Bryan topped out at 98 multiple times but Taurek battled to a full count and grounded a ball up the middle to score Griffith from third. Saint Mary's would show great toughness with disciplined at-bats and took a 7-4 lead heading into the seventh.
7TH INNING
The seventh inning would be a disastrous one for the Gaels pitching staff, surrendering nine runs on six hits. A pair of errors didn't help the cause but the Vanderbilt hitters punished mistakes up in the zone and four free passes allowed them to bat around in the inning.
A 13-7 lead would hold as Vanderbilt came from behind once again to take game two of the series and improve to 6-1 on the season. The Gaels have shown the ability to battle at the plate and get on the board early but have failed to keep the Vandy bats quiet late games. Of their 24 runs in the two games combined, over half of them have come in the sixth inning or later.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Gaels are now 4-3 on the season after dropping their second straight game to 15th ranked Vanderbilt. They will conclude their three-game series with the Dores Sunday afternoon at 12:00 PM central time. Stream the game live on SECNetwork+ and get your tickets at smcgaels.com.
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