In the final game of a weekend series with Mississippi State, No. 11 Vanderbilt lost the series after a crushing late home run. Just a day after a late-inning surge fell short, the VandyBoys amounted another comeback, roaring back after being down six before Hunter Hines blasted a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to push the Bulldogs ahead 8-7.
Starting the game on the mound was LHP Devin Futrell, who’s still getting back up to speed after returning from injury. Once again, his outing was shortlived, as Futrell lasted 2.2 innings, giving up four hits and two runs. However, the bullpen pitched fairly well led by Luke Guth and Miller Green, who only gave up four hits across 5.0 innings collectively.
The first inning went relatively smoothly for both sides, especially for Mississippi State’s starting pitcher Jurrangelo Cjintje, as he struck out two Vanderbilt batters to finish the frame. In the first frame for Futrell, he walked one batter and struck out another, but began to face adversity in the second inning of play. Connor Hujsack was able to peel off a single through the middle infield gap before Amani Larry shot a double off the wall in center field. Futrell responded brilliantly, striking out three in a row to escape the inning.
The bottom of the second continued the early struggles for the Commodores with Cjintje again running through the order of Vanderbilt, this time striking out all three players he faced. Back on the mound, Futrell again fell into a dangerous situation. After a single and steal by David Mershon, Dakota Johnson earned a walk followed by Hines getting to first on a fielder’s choice. With runners on the corners with two outs, Hujsak blasted a double to center field, driving in the first two runs of the day.
Down 2-0, Futrell’s day was over with Ryan Ginther being brought on in relief. Ginther however, immediately took a blow. First, Ginther hit Larry with a pitch, setting up Logan Kohler’s at-bat with two runners on. With a 1-1 count, Kohler swung and launched a no-doubt home run to right center, pushing the Bulldogs’ lead to five. Ginther rebounded to strike out Ethan Pulliam to minimize the damage that could be caused further. Vanderbilt would remain hitless though after the bottom of the third.
The Bulldogs promptly came after Ginther once more, as with two outs Mershon shot a home run to left field. Trailing 6-0 in just the fourth inning, the Commodores had to find any way to get on base. Yet again, Cjintje refused to yield, striking out Jonathan Vastine and Davis Diaz en route to securing another inning without giving up a hit.
After giving up three runs in just 1.1 innings, Ginther was pulled for the freshman Guth. Guth, unlike his predecessors, developed some momentum early into his outing. Guth struck out Hines and proceeded to force two more outs in a clean frame.
The VandyBoys finally earned their first hit of the day in the bottom of the fifth as Alan Espinal took the first pitch he faced for a double. Although Cjintje walked Colin Barczi, he rebounded firmly by striking out Troy LaNeve, Matthew Polk and Camden Kozeal in order. Guth continued for the Commodores, surrendering a walk and a single but still managing to retire three Bulldogs’ without issue.
Braden Holcomb opened the bottom of the sixth with a double down the third base line, afterward stealing third base on a wild pitch. Vanderbilt would earn its first run of the game as Holcomb was driven in by a Vastine double. Shortly after, a second run crossed home plate due to RJ Austin being able to slip a single by the second baseman’s glove into the center field gap. An Espinal single pulled Austin in for Vanderbilt’s third run, making the score 6-3 and subsequently ending Cjintje’s day on the hill with Nolan Stevens incoming.
Stevens started by walking Barczi, bringing up LaNeve with runners on first and third. Working into a 3-2 count, LaNeve caught Stevens for a high-flying three-run home run, tying the game at 6-6.
With a brand new game in front of them, the VandyBoys placed Green on the mound in relief of Guth after he gave Vanderbilt two unblemished innings. Green went to work quickly, blowing through the order efficiently by holding the Bulldogs to two lineouts and a groundout.
The freshly garnered momentum for Vanderbilt continued in the bottom of the seventh with Holcomb instantly shooting a single off Stevens into left center. Back at the top of the order, Vastine hit a short ball in the infield, but a fumbled catch on the end of a fielder’s choice rendered him and Holcomb safe. Following that up with a single off an Austin bunt, the bases were loaded with zero outs. Vanderbilt finally emerged ahead as Espinal swung into a fielder’s choice, bringing in Holcomb to give the VandyBoys a 7-6 lead.
While Green struck out three batters in a row to finish his half of the eighth, Bulldogs reliever Karson Ligon found himself in a hole against a revitalized Vanderbilt. His first pitch hit Polk and then he balked, allowing Polk to take second. A sacrifice fly from Kozeal sent Polk to third with only one out but he would ultimately get tagged out at home after Holcomb sent a choppy single to third base. The inning would end with two runners left on base, putting the chances of a win in Green’s glove for the top of the ninth.
But, with two outs in the ninth, Green would allow Hines to crush a two-run home run to right field, decimating the hopes of the VandyBoys. The Commodores would not be able to retaliate as Jack Bulger grounded out to end the game.
