The No. 11 Vanderbilt Commodores (30-11, 10-8) walked off the UT Martin Skyhawks (15-25, 7-8) on Tuesday night, winning 5-4. Davis Diaz hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. The Commodores’ win came after a series victory against Florida over the weekend.
Junior Devin Futrell got the nod for the Commodores after being injured for the past several weeks. His last appearance was against South Carolina on March 24. While Futrell started, he only pitched one inning. Sam Hliboki pitched four innings, striking out eight and allowing no hits.
“He [Hliboki] struck out the last eight and did a really good job on those four innings of almost near perfect baseball,” head coach Tim Corbin said. “I’m happy for Sam. He really pulled his weight tonight.”
Futrell faced trouble to begin the first, giving up two consecutive singles with no outs. A fly out and a strikeout gave Vanderbilt two outs with two runners on base but a short fly ball was just out of reach for left fielder Braden Holcomb and one run came across. Vanderbilt was able to force an out at home to end the top of the first. It was a quick 1-2-3 inning for Vanderbilt in the bottom of the first as UT Martin pitcher Choyce Diffey struck out all three batters he faced.
Hliboki took over for Futrell in the top of the second. A hit-by-pitch placed a runner on first, but a successful pickoff and a strikeout ended the top of the second. Vanderbilt got two runners on base to begin the bottom of the second after Diffey walked and hit consecutive batters. Troy LaNeve hit into a double play, leaving Alan Espinal on third base with two outs. A passed ball brought Espinal home to tie the game at 1-1.
Vanderbilt kept UT Martin scoreless in the fourth, and Jonathan Vastine launched a home run over the left field wall for Vanderbilt to take a 2-1 lead. The Commodores couldn’t produce any more offense as Diaz was tagged out trying to turn a single into a double.
To start the top of the fifth, Hliboki struck out the side and earned his eighth consecutive strikeout. In the bottom of the fifth, Choyce walked two batters to get Vanderbilt runners on first and second. A double from Matthew Polk pushed a run across to extend the lead. A deep fly ball to center field pushed another run across as Vanderbilt took a 4-1 lead heading into the fifth inning.
Hliboki again kept UT Martin scoreless in the fifth inning, forcing three fly outs. However, the Commodore offense struggled to capitalize after Vastine hit a single into right field.
Hliboki was replaced by Luke Guth in the top of the sixth inning. Guth gave up a hit to start the inning but struck out a batter to end the top of the sixth. The Commodores were unable to manufacture any hits or runs in the sixth inning.
Levi Huesman replaced Guth and struck out a batter in the top of the seventh, but then walked a batter and gave up a hit to put runners on first and second. A double off the left field wall pushed a run across for UT Martin and Huesman was replaced by Brennan Seiber. A sacrifice fly pushed another run across for UT Martin. Vanderbilt led 4-3 going into the seventh inning stretch. UT Martin kept Vanderbilt scoreless in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Seiber gave up a double to begin the eighth inning. Two fly balls pushed a run across for the Skyhawks as they evened the score at 4-4. Seiber struck out a batter to stop the UT Martin offense and get out of the inning. Singles from Jayden Davis and Polk put two Vanderbilt runners in scoring position, but a ground out by Jack Bulger ended the Commodores’ threat.
Seiber threw a scoreless ninth inning to keep the game tied at 4-4. Vastine and RJ Austin were both retired to begin the bottom of the ninth, but a home run by Diaz successfully walked it off for Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt will begin its series against Mississippi State on Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. CDT.
