Courtesy University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department
Coming off its opening-weekend sweep of the Murray State Thoroughbreds, the Central Arkansas baseball traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to do battle with the Vanderbilt Commodores, the team currently ranked as the second best in the nation by Baseball America. The upset-minded Bears grabbed an early lead, but we unable to protect it, falling 10-2.
Central Arkansas (3-1) didn’t act overwhelmed by the matchup, jumping to an early lead in the first inning. Right fielder Forrestt Allday and second baseman Blake Marchal opened the inning by drawing walks. Center fielder Jonathan Davis laid down a sacrifice bunt to third base, giving the Bears runners on second and third with one out. Catcher Michael Marietta picked up his fourth RBI of the season, grounding out to second base to bring home Allday and give Central Arkansas the 1-0 lead.
The Commodores (4-1) responded immediately. Second baseman Tony Kemp was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and stole second base. Kemp advanced to third base on a ground out to second, and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Conrad Gregor.
Both teams were quiet until the bottom of the fourth inning. The Commodores picked up their first hit of the game when Gregor led off the inning with a double down the right field line. Catcher Spencer Navin followed with a single through the left side to advance Gregor to third. Right fielder Mike Yastrzemski drove in Gregor to give the Commodores the 2-1 lead, hitting a grounder to first base. Navin was forced out at second on the play. Yastrzemski was caught stealing and, following a walk, third baseman Vince Conde struck out to end the inning.
The Commodores got on the board again in the bottom of the fifth inning, grabbing four runs on four hits. Left fielder Jack Lupo led off the inning with a single through the left side. Shortstop Dansby Swanson and Kemp each followed with an infield bunt single, ending the night of Central Arkansas started Clint Green. Following the pitching change, designated hitter Xavier Turner hit a chopper over the head of third baseman Garrett Brown, bringing in Lupo and Swanson to give Vanderbilt the 4-1 lead. A ground out by Gregor brought in Kemp and sent Turner, who ended up at second after his chopper, to third. Turner came in to score Vanderbilt’s sixth run of the night on a wild pitch by reliever Zach Barr. A strikeout and a fly out ended the inning with Vanderbilt up 6-1.
Vanderbilt added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Right fielder Connor Harrell started the inning with a walk. Conde laid down a sac bunt, reaching first on a throwing error that also allowed Harrell to end up on third base. Lupo dropped a sacrifice bunt down to the first base line, bringing in Harrell to extend the lead to 7-1.
Vanderbilt added more insurance in the bottom of the seventh. Gregor singled down the left field line and then stole second base. Following a strike out, Yastrzemski drew a walk. A double steal put runners on second and third with one out. Harrell drove in both Gregor and Yastrzemski with a ground-rule double to left field.
Central Arkansas attempted a comeback in the top of the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out. A bases loaded error gave the Bears their first run in eight innings, but a strike out and a pop up to the catcher ended the threat.
Clint Green (0-1) took the loss for the Bears, throwing four plus innings and allowing five runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out three Commodores. John Kordsmeier combined to finish out the fifth inning, allowing one run on one hit. Barr struck out one batter. Freshman Taylor Wallace recorded one out in the sixth inning, allowing one unearned run and one walk. Blake Clayton came on in the sixth inning, working into the seventh while allowing one run on a walk and a hit. He struck out one Vanderbilt batter. Griffin Glaude worked the seventh inning, giving up one run on one hit and one walk while striking out the side. Connor Gilmore came on in the bottom of the eighth and recorded two outs, giving up one run and one hit while issuing a walk and striking out one. Jon Rand recorded the final out of the eighth inning, inducing a fly out.
Walker Buehler made his first collegiate start for Vanderbilt working four innings while giving up one run on two hits. He struggled with command at times, walking eight Bears, but also struck out six batters. Steven Rice worked three innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out three. Carson Fulmer was also effective in relief, giving up one hit in a scoreless inning of work. Jared Miller worked the final inning for Vanderbilt, giving up one run on three walks and a strikeout.
Central Arkansas returns to the field this weekend, with games against Jackson State and Kansas on the schedule. Friday night, the Bears will battle Jackson State at 6:00. On Saturday, Central Arkansas will face off with the Kansas Jayhawks at 1:00 in the afternoon. The Bears will close the weekend by facing off against Jackson State at 1:00 pm on Sunday.
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