Feb. 25, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- Sonny Gray (2-0) won a pitching dual with Mark Appel (0-1) as No. 3-ranked Vanderbilt (6-0) edged No. 8-ranked Stanford (3-2) 2-1 on a cold Friday evening.
Anthony Gomez gave Vandy the lead in the sixth, the second of, back-to-back, two-out doubles to make it 2-1.
Gray gave it to the bullpen for the final three innings, as four pitchers combined on a five hitter. Navery Moore picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth.
Stanford did have its chances, twice putting the tying run on in the eighth and ninth innings. In the ninth, Brian Ragira singled with one out, but Moore struck out outfielder Austin Wilson, and got pinch hitter Justin Ringo to ground out to end the contest.
With a runner on with two outs in the eighth, Kenny Diekroeger hit it to the left field warning track as Mark Lamm retired his only batter, following 1.2 shutout innings from Will Clinard.
Gray settled down after walking in a run in the second, going 6.0 innings, giving up one run on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Vanderbilt went up 1-0 in the first off an RBI single from Jason Esposito.
Appel pitched well, giving up just two runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in his second-straight Friday night start against a top-25 foe. With a career-best 6.0 innings tonight and 5.2 innings last week at No. 17 Rice, Appel now has a 3.09 ERA.
Gray pitched to one over the minimum after Stanford tied the game in the second.
Chris Reed pitched the final two scoreless innings for the Cardinal, twice stranding a runner in scoring position to keep it at a one-run game.
NOTES: Game time temperatures began in the low 40's... Jake Stewart is the only player to hit in all five games this season... the first inning had two Cardinal runners picked off in the top of the inning and one Commodore caught stealing in the bottom of the first... Saturday's game is at noon PT and Sunday's game is scheduled for 11 a.m.