No. 22 Vanderbilt Baseball (16-5, 1-2 SEC) welcomed the Belmont Bruins (8-14) into Hawkins Field for its fifth midweek matchup of the season on March 18. Austin Nye got the starting nod from head coach Tim Corbin for Vanderbilt and tossed out the first pitch just after 6 p.m. CDT, and the Commodores cruised to a 13-2 victory on a picturesque spring evening.
The win was much-needed for the Black and Gold, who dropped two of three games to then-No. 25 Auburn over the weekend. The last loss stung the most, as an eight-inning grand slam lifted the Tigers to a 7-6 win.
Nye was stellar for Vanderbilt. The first-year pitched 4 perfect innings, allowing no hits and no walks and striking out three batters, all on just 45 pitches. The ‘Dores got a massive boost from Mike Mancini, who hit an opposite-field grand slam during an eight-run third inning.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Belmont 0
Nye got the start for the Commodores and went right to work with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Pate Daniel and inducing groundouts from Charlie Davis and Ty Allen.
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 1, Belmont 0
Jacob Humphrey worked a walk from the leadoff spot and immediately stole second and third base on consecutive pitches. RJ Austin came up to the plate with a golden RBI opportunity and didn’t waste it, sending a groundout to second base which scored the speedster Humphrey with ease. Brodie Johnston and Riley Nelson followed that up with a pair of strikeouts and ended the first inning.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 1, Belmont 0
Nye picked right up where he left off with a strikeout of Blake Barton to open the second inning. Mike Sprockett and Landon Godsey both flew out — to shallow right and deep center, respectively — ending the inning in quick fashion.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 2, Belmont 0
Colin Barczi opened the bottom of the second with a groundout and Jonathan Vastine struck out swinging. Braden Holcomb drove a well-hit ball to left field. The two-out rally was completed as Mac Rose drove a double deep into right field and Holcomb scored from first. Mike Mancini hit a ground ball to first that ended the inning
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 10, Belmont 0
Humphrey reached for the second time in as many attempts after an error from the shortstop and replicated his first-inning antics with a steal of second and third. Austin walked to put runners on the corner with no outs for Johnston. Before he could act, though, a failed pick-off from Brown went into right field and sent Humphrey home. He then ripped a single as Nelson, Barczi and Vastine all walked to bring in two more runs, making the score 5-0 with loaded bases and no outs. Holcomb grounded into a fielder’s choice at third, bringing another run home.
Things only got worse for the Bruins as Rose walked and Mancini hit a ridiculous opposite-field grand slam over the the monster in left field. The shot cleared the bases and put Vanderbilt into run-rule territory as it led 10-0. Humphrey struck out, Austin single and Johnston grounded out, officially ending the 8-run inning.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 10, Belmont 0
Nye’s dominance continued with his fourth straight three-up, three-down inning.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 11, Belmont 0
Nelson opened the inning with a single to right field. Barczi advanced to first on a fielder choice and Vastine flew out to center field before Holcomb worked a two-out walk. Rose drilled a single to score Barczi, but a groundout from Mancini ended the inning.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 11, Belmont 1
Nye’s evening came to an end as Hudson Barton took the mound for the ‘Dores. Hudson faced off against his brother, Blake, in his first series, but was bested. Blake Barton drilled a single up through second base to earn the Bruins their first base runner of the game. Hudson Barton then walked Sprockett, induced a ground out from Godsey and walked Sergeant to load the bases with one out. Barton got out of the inning in clutch fashion with strikeouts of Maddox and Lawrence, but not before a walk scored his brother from third.
Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 12, Belmont
Humphrey led the inning off with a bomb to left center before Austin flied out, Johnston struck out and Nelson popped out.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 12, Belmont 1
Levi Huesman came in for Vanderbilt and pitched to the tune of a 1-2-3 inning, striking out one, and sending Vanderbilt three outs closer to a run-rule victory.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 13, Belmont 1
David Mendez came in for Holcomb in left field during the top of the sixth and made the most of his opportunity, mashing a home run to the bleachers in left field.
Top 7: Vanderbilt 13, Belmont 2
Ryan Ginther pitched the final inning for the ‘Dores. Belmont got back on the board as Godsey drilled a home run over the left field wall and hit Memorial Gymasium, but that was the only rally that the Bruins could muster. A pop-out from Sergeant ended the game, and Vanderbilt won 13-2.
The Commodores will be back in action on March 20 at 6:00 p.m. CDT when they take on Texas A&M at Hawkins Field.
