March 7, 2010

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CBI Live
Gomez gives Vanderbilt extra-inning win over Indiana

By Jimmy Jones

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

(photos by Jimmy Jones)

NASHVILLE, TENN.---The Indiana Hoosiers and Vanderbilt Commodores gave fans their money's worth with a four-hour extra-inning contest that featured a combined 12 pitchers, 24 hits, 20 strikeouts and 11 runs before a winner could be declared in the marquee game of the Music City Classic at Hawkins Field.
 
Freshman Anthony Gomez put an end to the marathon in the bottom of the eleventh inning with a solid single to right field off of Hoosier closer Chris Squires (0-1) to plate Connor Harrell and give the Commodores (10-1) a 6-5 win. It was Gomez's third hit of the game.
 
"Anthony (Gomez) came up big three times tonight in three at-bats," said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. "He had some clutch RBI and jumped on some high fastballs and put them into play."
 
The Hoosiers Michael Earley started things off with a single in the first inning and first baseman Jarrud Sabourin followed with a base hit to right field.
 
Alex Dickerson (left) then hit the first pitch he saw from VU starter Jack Armstrong over the right-center field wall to give Indiana (4-6) a 3-0 lead.
 
Vanderbilt scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit when Bryan Johns walked, stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball to center. The relay throw to get him at third sailed into the dugout area to allow him to score to make it 3-1.
 
The home team tied the game in the bottom of the second off of Hoosier starter Ethan Wilson when Andrew Giobbi walked, stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch. After a Riley Reynolds base on balls, Joe Loftus singled to score a run and Gomez followed with a single right back where it came from to tie the game.
 
Armstrong (right) settled down nicely after a shaky first inning to pitch three and two-thirds inning of scoreless baseball afterwards. He gave up three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings with five strikeouts while walking just one hitter in a no-decision outing.
 
The Hoosiers retook the lead in the sixth, scoring two runs with two outs in the frame. Reliever Corey Williams, a redshirt freshman, plunked shortstop Michael Basil on a 2-2 pitch to start the rally. Basil stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Tyler Rogers single to right.
 
Drew Hayes replaced Williams and was greeted by a single off the bat of Wes Wilson and a RBI double to Micah Johnson to push the Hoosier lead to 5-3.
 
VU battled back to within a run on a walk by Reynolds who advanced to third on consecutive wild pitches and scored an RBI single by Gomez. 

The Dores tied the game in the seventh when Jason Esposito doubled down the left field line and scored on an RBI single by Andrew Giobbi. VU had a chance to take the lead, loading the bases with one out but failed to plate the go-ahead run as Reynolds grounded out and Loftus flied out to center.
 
The Commodores stranded a total of 16 base-runners in the game.
 
 "We had the bases loaded three times with one out and couldn't pick up a run," said Corbin when asked about the missed opportunities. "Everyone's been there before, it happens, we just pressed too much. We hit too many balls in the air after the sixth inning and didn't put much pressure on them."
 
Indiana wasted a golden opportunity in the 11th when Basil lined a double into left field with one out. Commodore reliever Chase Reid struck out Tyler Rogers, who had two hits prior to stepping in, and then threw three straight by Wes Wilson to end the threat.
 
Harrell bunted his way on in the bottom of the 11th and stole second. He moved to third on a grounder by Reynolds to set up Gomez's heroics to close the game.
 
Chase Reid (2-0) pitched 3.2 innings of three-hit scoreless relief with five strikeouts to record his second win of the week.
 
"I thought Gio (Andrew Giobbi) did a great job of calling pitches, while also cutting down two base-runners," said Reid after the game. "We will put everything together and then hopefully start to click on all phases heading into SEC play." 

Gomez led the Dores with three hits and three RBI with Jason Esposito and Riley Reynolds chipping in with two each.
 
Rogers, Micah Johnson and Sabourin led the Hoosier offensive effort with two knocks each.
 
It may prove to be a costly win for Vanderbilt as its number three and four hitters, Aaron Westlake and Curt Casali, left the game early due to injuries. Their status is day-to-day at this time.