Vanderbilt falls to San Diego in season opener

Thursday night was a great night for the San Diego Toreros, who knocked off the No. 7-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores, 3-2, in their season opener.

The Commodores came out ready to win with Jeren Kendall smashing a triple to right field. Kendall would later be brought in to score by Will Toffey who hit a sacrifice fly to center against San Diego’s Colton Waltner.

Vanderbilt’s run was promptly answered in the second inning by Riley Adams who crushed a pitch from Kyle Writght deep into left field, bringing the score to 1-1.

The Commodores responded by taking advantage of Nick Sprengel’s temporary misfortune and placing a runner on first and second by way of a single and a walk. But, it would be Toffey who hit the RBI that regained the lead. Sprengel would then conduct damage control and strike out Alonzo Jones to close out the inning.

However, the Toreros came out in the bottom of the third and answered immediately. Jeff Houghtby would hit a long ball to deep left to bring in Jordan Abushahla and he later score on an infield single by Waltner, bringing the USD lead to 3-2 where it would remain for the rest of the game.

It wouldn’t be until the ninth inning that the Commodores were found in scoring position again. San Diego’s Troy Conyers would walk one and give up a single to another Commodore to lead off the ninth, putting two on base for Vanderbilt. Vandy's Kendall attempted a sacrifice bunt, but the ball popped up behind home plate. San Diego’s catcher Riley Adams would make the throw to second to complete the double play, bringing the game down to its final out.

The Commodores would make one last attempt at victory with a hard grounder up the middle to put a man in scoring position, but it would be Conyers’ excellent pitching that closed out he game with a strike out against Toffey.

Vanderbilt will be out for revenge as the two teams face off again Friday night in the second game of a three-game series.