Nicolas Blasts Three-Run Walkoff Home Run; Vanderbilt Tops Tennessee Tech, 6-4, in Season Opener 02/12/02

Sophomore Cesar Nicolas blasted a three-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to give Vanderbilt a 6-4 victory over Tennessee Tech Tuesday in both teams' season opener. The contest was Vanderbilt's first in the newly completed $5.8 million Hawkins Field.

Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Vanderbilt started its rally when senior Sean Luellwitz singled to center with one out. After left fielder John Kaye was hit by a pitch from Tennessee Tech's Cole Helms (0-1), Nicolas then took the one-ball, one-strike pitch over the 35-foot wall in left field for the win. Nicolas, in only his second collegiate start, finished the day 2-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored.

"I just had that feeling when I was on the on-deck circle that something good was going to happen," Nicolas said. "Everyone wants to hit a home run in that situation. It was just a curve ball that stayed up."

In a game that featured four lead changes, Tennessee Tech (0-1) jumped out in front 2-0 after three-and-a-half innings. A groundout by Ben Shannon scored Helms in the third and Britt Clubb singled in Ryan Hay in the top of the fourth.

Vanderbilt (1-0) answered immediately in its half of the fourth when Nicolas doubled in Sean Luellwitz from second base. In the fifth, the Commodores grabbed the lead when Worth Scott singled in Scott Vanderhoff from second base and Luellwitz singled through the left side of the infield to score Scott.

Commodore pitchers shut out the Golden Eagles for the next four innings until the ninth when, with one out, Tennessee Tech scored twice off reliever Dean Bennett. Helms doubled off the left field wall with the bases loaded, scoring Mike Meihls and Hay. But VU freshman Jeff Sues (1-0) stepped in and ended the rally, enticing a pop up and fly ball to right field.

That set the stage for Nicolas' dramatics in the ninth.

"I'm happy we won the first game in the new ballpark," Vanderbilt head coach Roy Mewbourne said. "Doing it in dramatic fashion was tremendous. A lot of our guys did a good job from our pitchers to Tony Mansolino in the field and Cesar in the ninth. I'm a bit disappointed that we let too many chances go by without breaking it open earlier in the game. We can't make a habit of that."

Vanderbilt worked six pitchers into the game throughout the evening. Senior Jeff Little started the game and struck out three in three innings of work. Fellow seniors Steven Faulkner and Chris Maulstby pitched two innings apiece and each allowed only one hit. Freshman Scott Shapiro retired Tennessee Tech in order in the eighth.

The Commodores return to action Saturday and Sunday with 1 p.m. start times scheduled against visiting West Virginia.