NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With MTSU using a game against No. 5 Vanderbilt as a staff day – employing six pitchers over eight innings – the Commodores didn’t have much issue picking up a 7-4 win.

But although the game itself was rather nondescript, it was highlighted by the much-anticipated collegiate debut of star freshman Donny Everett.

Everett, Baseball America’s top-ranked high school senior last summer not to sign with a professional team, finally got his first appearance of the year in the 33rd game of the season after missing time with a torn lat, throwing one scoreless inning.

The Clarksville native, who is known for his high velocity, came out firing with his first pitch coming in at 97 mph. He would sit at 94-95 mph for most of his outing, touching 97 mph one more time and mixing in a pair of low-80s curveballs.

As fast as Everett was throwing, he did almost run into his trouble, as two batters made extremely hard contact off him. His first batter rocketed a double to right center field, although Everett was able to get out of the inning on a fly out to the left field warning track.

Everett’s velocity looked even more impressive after following sophomore left-hander Ryan Johnson, whose fastball was between 77 and 82 mph throughout his four-inning appearance. The sophomore left-hander really settled in in the last three innings, only needing 35 pitches to face the minimum nine batters.

Also making his collegiate debut was freshman Julian Infante, who pinch hit for Ro Coleman in the seventh inning after missing the first part of the season with a broken right wrist.

Infante took a 1-1 changeup into center field for a single but was replaced the next inning in left field by Nolan Rogers.

The Commodores were led offensively by Jeren Kendall, Bryan Reynolds, and Connor Kaiser, all of whom had two hits and scored two runs. Ethan Paul also added three hits and, like Reynolds, drove in two runs.

Most of the scoring came in a four-run fourth inning that gave Vanderbilt a lead it would not relinquish. Facing its third pitcher of the game, the Commodores strung together five straight singles, only allowing Blue Raider reliever Andy Wright to record one out before being pulled.

Matt Ruppenthal and John Kilichowski closed the game out, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out six without allowing a baserunner.

Vanderbilt improved to 26-7 (7-5 SEC) on the season and will begin a weekend series again Kentucky (22-9, 8-4 SEC) on Friday.