No. 17 Vanderbilt (19-9/7-2 SEC) unleashed a season-high 18-hit attack and scored in the first five innings to overpower No. 15 Florida (19-13/3-6 SEC) on Sunday afternoon, 16-2. Sophomore Cody Crowell (4-0) notched a career-high nine strikeouts and scattered eight hits over seven innings as the Commodores captured a series at McKethan Stadium for the first time since 1996.

The 16 runs were the most Vanderbilt has ever scored in the series and the run total was the highest for an SEC opponent in Gainesville since Mississippi State notched an 18-4 victory on April 14, 1990. The 14-run setback was also UF’s worst loss at home since that defeat to the Bulldogs.  

“Today was a difficult loss for us, as is any loss,” said head coach Pat McMahon. “We continue to play this game with a great effort. We had a talk in the dugout when we were down going into the sixth inning, and we came out and scored two runs to Vanderbilt’s zero that inning. On the mound, Coach Jones and our guys are working hard to put the ball in the strike zone and give our defense the opportunity to make plays. As coaches, we will continue to teach and our players will continue to compete.”

Freshman Pedro Alvarez went 4-for-5 and scored four runs, sophomore Alex Feinberg (3-for-5) matched a career high with four runs batted in and the trio of junior Matt Meingasner, sophomore Dominic de la Osa and sophomore Shea Robin drove in two runs apiece. After scoring twice in the first and tallying single runs in both the second and third, Vanderbilt put the game away with a five-run fourth and a seven-run fifth.

De la Osa provided the Commodores with a quick lead in the first when he cranked a two-run homer off junior David Hurst (Jacksonville, Fla.), who was making his first start of the season. Alvarez had doubled and de la Osa followed with his third round-tripper to left.

The Gators put two men aboard with one down in the bottom of the inning but could not score. Junior Adam Davis (Fort Myers, Fla.) ripped a double just inside the left-field line and junior Matt LaPorta (Port Charlotte, Fla.) walked on four pitches. Crowell worked out of trouble by striking out juniors Brian Jeroloman (Wellington, Fla.) and David Cash (Odessa, Fla.).

Vanderbilt tacked on another run in the second on an RBI single by Meingasner. Feinberg reached on a two-base error on a dropped fly ball to begin the frame and raced over to third on a wild pitch. Meingasner’s infield hit scored Feinberg and sophomore Parker Hanks followed with another single. However, Meingasner was gunned down trying to take third by junior right fielder Austin Pride (Longwood, Fla.).

The Commodores moved ahead 4-0 in the third on Feinberg’s bases-loaded infield single. Alvarez drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second by de la Osa. A fielding error allowed senior Brian Hernandez to reach and freshman Ryan Flaherty stroked a single to fill the sacks with one down. Sophomore Josh Edmondson (LaGrange, Ga.) relieved Hurst (1-1, 2.1 IP, 4 R, 2 R) and came through with an important strikeout of Robin before Feinberg’s RBI single increased the margin to 4-0. The right-hander had Meingasner ground out to LaPorta to end the inning, stranding three runners.

Five more runs in the fourth gave the ‘Dores a 9-0 lead. Hanks opened with a walk and scored all the way from first when the throw on sophomore David Macias’ sacrifice attempt ricocheted off his helmet and rolled to the right-field fence. A single up the middle by Alvarez plated Macias and Hernandez stroked a base-hit to end the afternoon for Edmondson, who allowed three hits and four runs over 1.0 innings. Sophomore Andy Gale (Durham, N.H.) made his Gator debut and was greeted with single to right by Flaherty. A wild pitch by Gale enabled Hernandez to come across and Feinberg poked a double to drive in the ninth run.

Vanderbilt sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth and tallied seven more runs on six hits to take a commanding 16-0 lead. Macias had led off with a walk and Alvarez singled to signal the end of Gale’s tenure, in which he allowed three runs on three hits over an inning. A two-out infield single in the fifth by Hernandez off freshman Patrick Keating (Harrisburg, Ill.) scored Macias for a 10-run cushion. Flaherty earned a free pass to load the bases and Robin punched a two-run single to put the Commodores ahead by a dozen runs. Feinberg roped a two-run double, Meingasner followed with another two-bagger and Hanks delivered an RBI single for a 16-0 lead.

Juniors Chris Petrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Gavin Dickey (Tallahassee, Fla.) poked back-to-back singles in the home portion of the fifth but Crowell worked out of the jam. The southpaw induced consecutive groundouts by sophomores Matt Gaski (Greensboro, N.C.) and Brandon McArthur (Seffner, Fla.) to keep the Gators scoreless.  

Alvarez launched a leadoff double in the sixth off sophomore Michael Branham (Tampa, Fla.) and moved to third on a grounder by de la Osa. Branham issued walks to Flaherty and Robin to fill the sacks and fanned Feinberg to keep VU off the board. Soon after, the Gators averted the shutout with two runs on three hits and an error. Davis smacked a leadoff double and scored on an RBI grounder by Jeroloman. Cash legged out an infield hit and moved to second on a throwing error. Pride laced a double to plate his teammate for a 16-2 count.

Vanderbilt held an 18-10 advantage in hits against a total of seven Gator pitchers. Davis led the home team with a 4-for-5 effort, including a couple of doubles. Junior Kris Gawriluk (Deltona, Fla.) and senior Darren O’Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) combined to throw three scoreless innings.

Florida will be back in action Tuesday night against North Florida in a game to be played at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The Ospreys were the Division II national runner-up last year and are now competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The contest will be carried on Comcast Sports South at 7 p.m.

Game Notes

• David Hurst was redshirted last season and made nine starts during the 2004 campaign at Florida C.C-Jacksonville.
• The Gators have dropped two of three SEC series: 2-1 versus Arkansas, 0-3 at South Carolina, 1-2 versus Vanderbilt.
• Florida fell to 15-10 at home this season.
• UF committed four errors this afternoon, giving them 55 in 32 games.

-UF-