Vandy stays alive with win over Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA -- Down but not out, it's been Vanderbilt's story much of the season.

The resilient Commodores have now won four straight elimination games during the week and need a win Sunday over Super Regional host Florida State to earn their first trip to the College World Series.

``There is no advantage any more,'' Florida State coach Mike Martin conceded after Saturday's 6-2 loss.

Grayson Garvin pitched three scoreless innings for his first collegiate save and Curt Casali continued his torrid hitting as Vanderbilt defeated Florida State 6-2 to move within one win of reaching its first College World Series.

Vanderbilt ace Sonny Gray (10-5) got Saturday's win after going the first six innings before the lanky 6-5 Garvin limited Florida State (46-18) to three singles while striking out three.

``He throws hard, but also knows where to put it,'' said Florida State's James Ramsey, who was Garvin's high school teammate. ``In the postseason you know you have to have your best stuff. He's a competitor.''

Gray had thrown 107 pitches in staggering heat before giving way to Garvin after six innings.

``He really really shut us down,'' Martin said.

Brian Busch (5-2) was tagged with the loss despite giving up just one earned run in seven innings. But reliever Daniel Bennett didn't have it for a second straight day.

Bennett, the winner in Florida State's 9-8 win in Friday's opener in the best-of-three Super Regional, managed to get only one out while giving up three runs in the eighth.

Casali, who had four hits in Friday's 9-8 loss in the opener, doubled twice and drove in two runs.

Vanderbilt (46-19) qualified for its first Super Regional last weekend in Louisville by climbing out of the loser's bracket to win three straight games, including two over the host Cardinals.

``I know what is in our DNA and our ability to fight back,'' Vandy coach Tim Corbin said.

The Commodores took advantage of some shoddy Florida State defense to grab a quick 2-0 lead.

Vanderbilt's first two batters of the game got on base courtesy of Seminole errors and both scored, one on a double by Casali, who has three doubles and a homer among his six hits in two days in addition to four RBI.

Jason Esposito's second home run in as many days a towering fly ball over the fence in right center field gave the winners a 3-0 fourth inning lead.

Rafael Lopez singled home Stuart Tapley in the sixth to make it 3-2, but Jayce Boyd was thrown out at the plate by Vanderbilt right fielder Joe Loftus to end the inning which was extended on a close call at first base with two outs.

``I feel like I can make that throw every time,'' said Loftus, who has nine assists this season.

Boyd put Florida State on the board in the fifth when he led off the inning with a home run to right. The freshman first baseman also homered in the tournament opener Friday.