Four-Run Eighth Gives Georgia 4-1 Win, Sweep of Vanderbilt 5/4/03

ATHENS, Ga. – David Coffey’s game-tying RBI single and Jon Armitage’s two-run
home run sparked a four-run eighth inning as Georgia completed a three-game
sweep of Vanderbilt with a 4-1 win Sunday, May 4, at Foley Field.

The win pushes Georgia’s current win streak to five games and ups its record
to 26-22 overall and 8-16 in the Southeastern Conference. Vanderbilt suffers
its second league sweep on the road this season and drops to 22-23 overall and 10-14 in the league.

The Bulldogs scored all of their runs off Commodore reliever Matt Buschmann
(4-2). UGA pinch hitter Jasha Balcom led off the eighth frame with an infield
single to short. Justin Holmes sacrificed him to second base. Coffey tied the
game at 1-1 when he singled sharply to left field to score Balcom. Two batters
later Armitage smashed a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right center field to give
the Bulldogs a 3-1 advantage.

Josh Smith followed three batters later with a RBI single that brought in
Justin McClain to make the score 4-1.

Armitage ended the day 3-for-4 while McClain was 2-for-4 for Georgia. Georgia’s Paul Lubrano (4-3) earned the win in relief. He pitched an inning
and a third, allowing one hit while striking out two.

Vanderbilt managed only four hits against the Bulldogs but grabbed a 1-0 lead
in the top of the eighth when Jonathan Douillard hit a run-scoring single that
plated Tony Mansolino from second base.

Both starting pitchers were outstanding. Vanderbilt’s Jeremy Sowers limited
Georgia to five hits, including four singles, in his seven innings pitched. He
walked one and struck out four.

Georgia’s Sean Ruthven allowed Vanderbilt two hits through seven and a third
innings. John Kaye’s double into the alley in right center field marked the
Commodores only hit and only runner in scoring position in the first seven
innings. Tony Mansolino singled and was sacrificed to second base before
Ruthven was pulled for Lubrano in the eighth.

The Commodores struck out 10 times against Bulldog pitching on Sunday and
registered only 17 hits and five runs in the three-game series.

Vanderbilt continues its seven-game road swing this Tuesday at Western
Kentucky. Game time is 6 p.m. CT. The Commodores return to SEC play this
weekend at Kentucky. The three-game league series begins Friday at 6 p.m.ET,
continues Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

-VU-