Vanderbilt baseball takes down Oklahoma in Game 1

The Oklahoma baseball team's struggles continued Thursday, as the Sooners dropped their sixth Southeastern Conference game in their last seven, 10-5, to Vanderbilt.

OU's loss dropped the team to 5-8 in the SEC, alone in 13th in the 16-team conference. Vanderbilt rose to 7-6.

The Commodores scored three runs in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and then added five in the eighth after OU scored two to pull within a run in the top of the frame.

Mike Mancini hit a two-run double to break the tie while Brodie Johnston knocked in the other run in the seventh with a two-out RBI single. Mancini then added a three-run home run in the eighth to provide Vandy with its eighth, ninth and 10th runs of the game. He finished 3 for 5 with two home runs, the double, six RBIs and two runs. Johnston went 3 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI.

Oklahoma starter LJ Mercurius took the loss as he allowed a single in the seventh that proved to be the game-winning run. Mercurius worked 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk, striking out a season-high 13. Unfortunately for the Sooners, all three relief pitchers allowed at least one run and the man who replaced Mercurius, Kadyn Leon, allowed all three of his batters to reach base without recording an out.

OU pulled back within one in the eighth after an RBI double from Trey Gambill and an RBI single from Brendan Brock. The Sooners took their initial lead in the fourth when Deitan LaChance hit a two-run home run to open the scoring.

Gambill finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI while Jason Walk went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and a run.

The Sooners will look to snap their cold streak Friday at 6 p.m. in the second game of the series.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Vanderbilt beats Oklahoma in first game of series