FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
TOKYO- For the second time in three days, the Vanderbilt offense rallied from behind in the ninth inning. Down to the their final strike and trailing 3-0 to Waseda, sophomore infielder Jason Esposito drilled a bases loaded triple to deep center field to tie the game at 3-3.
Aaron Westlake was hit by a pitch to start off the inning and Andrew Giobbi followed with a hard hit single to left field. Junior Curt Casali then drew a walk to load the bases. Waseda ace Yuki Saito struck out Mike Yastrzemski to bring the Commodores within one out of defeat. However, Esposito wasn’t willing to go down easy. After fouling a Saito fastball straight back, he turned on a 2-2 pitch and sent it sailing over the head of the Waseda center fielder to clear the bases.
Junior pitcher Russell Brewer struck out Waseda leadoff hitter Matsunaga to preserve the tie.
Sophomore Jack Armstrong was given the start for Vanderbilt’s fourth and final game in Japan. Armstrong challenged hitters with a heavy fastball and an effective off speed mix. Armstrong lasted five innings and surrendered four hits and one earned run.
Waseda countered with pitchers Fukui, Oishi and Saito. According to a major league scout in attendance with extensive knowledge of Japanese Baseball, Waseda’s three arms are considered to be locks to be selected in the first round of the Nippon Professional Baseball League draft in November 2011. All three pitchers played for the Japanese national team this past summer.
Aaron Westlake, Andrew Giobbi, and Jason Esposito each had two hits on the afternoon.
Vanderbilt finished the exhibition games part of the trip with a 1-1-2 record.
The team will remain in Japan and Hong Kong till the end of the week sightseeing, before returning home in time for the resumption of classes on Monday.
