Four Vanderbilt Pitchers Combine For School's First Perfect Game;
Commodores Defeat Western Kentucky 4-0

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Four Vanderbilt pitchers combined for what was believed to be the first perfect game in school history as the Commodores defeated Western Kentucky 4-0, Tuesday, May 6 at Nick Denes Field.

Freshman right-hander Jensen Lewis (3-5) started for Vanderbilt (23-23) and tied a career high with six strikeouts in five innings to earn the win. Freshman right-hander Nick Pilkington entered in the sixth inning and sat down all three batters he faced while recording one strike out. Sophomore left-hander John Scott retired the side in order in the seventh inning. Freshman right-hander Matt Buschmann pitched the final two innings, striking out two in recording his fourth save of the year.

The perfect game is only the eighth in Southeastern Conference baseball history. It also marks Vanderbilt's first no-hitter since Doug Wessel vs. Belmont (4/19/71).

Western Kentucky's (24-20) best opportunity to break up the perfect game came with two outs in the fourth inning. VU second baseman Rucker Taylor made a diving catch of a blooper hit behind the first base bag along the right-field line by Hilltopper right fielder Antone Towns.

Commodore third baseman Tony Mansolino gave Vanderbilt a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when he hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot that also scored Warner Jones.

Vanderbilt added two insurance runs in the ninth inning to take a 4-0 lead. VU right fielder Worth Scott hit a two-run double into the alley in left center field that scored Mansolino from second base and pinch runner Gil Kim from first base. Mansolino went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Western Kentucky's Igor Roiberg (1-3) took the loss.

Buschmann's save also sets a Vanderbilt team record for saves in a season with 13.

Vanderbilt returns to the Bluegrass state this weekend when it travels to Lexington for a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Kentucky. The series begins Friday at 6 p.m. ET, and continues Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.