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Vanderbilt hands Georgia 8th-straight loss
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ATHENS - For the second straight day, Vanderbilt jumped on No. 13 Georgia early with four runs in the first and cruised to a 9-2 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday at Foley Field.

Vanderbilt improved to 31-20 and 12-13 in SEC play while Georgia fell to 33-17 overall and 14-12 in league play and lost for the eighth straight game.

Mike Minor (5-4) tossed a complete game and held Georgia to two runs on five hits while Curt Casali and Aaron Westlake each had three hits for the Coommodores.

The Bulldogs' eight-game skid is its longest since losing nine straight in 2003.

"Baseball is a cruel and humbling sport and we are in a bad place right now," Georgia coach David Perno said. "We just have to hang in there because things are going to get better. We have good players; we just have to turn the tides and get things going our way again."

Vanderbilt sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs in the first inning for the second straight game, the key hit being a two-out, two-run single by Jason Esposito. A solo home run to left field by Brian Harris in the second inning extended the lead to 5-0.

A pair of sacrifice flies by Andrew Giobbi and Espositio in the third gave Vanderbilt a seven-run lead.

Minor held Georgia hitless until Colby May singled to start the fourth. Bryce Massanari singled two batters later, then Joey Lewis drove in Georgia's first run with a double to left center.

Neither team scored again until the eighth when Zach Cone tripled down the left field line to score Levi Hyams and cut the Vanderbilt lead to 7-2, but the Commodores answered with two runs in the top of the ninth.

Alex Mcree (4-2) took the loss, surrendering all seven runs on nine hits in six innings. Will Harvil, Justin Earls and Jeff Walters combined to allow one earned run in three innings.

Georgia will try to avoid the sweep at 2 p.m. Sunday in the 2009 home finale. Justin Grimm (2-3, 4.42) will take the mound for the Bulldogs while Drew Hayes (4-3, 6.17) will get the start for Vanderbilt.

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