Vanderbilt Baseball (19-5, 4-2 SEC) welcomed the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (4-20, 3-3 ASUN) into Hawkins Field in search of its fifth-consecutive victory. The Commodores were fresh off a series sweep over Texas A&M and looking to start 16-0 for the first time since head coach Tim Corbin took the program over in 2003. They delivered with a 10-0 victory.
Austin Nye drew the start for the Commodores and continued his stellar start to the 2025 campaign, going 4 innings while allowing just 4 baserunners and 0 runs while striking out 4.
Brodie Johnston got the scoring started for the Black and Gold with a deep shot over the wall in left field. It wasn’t untl the bottom of the fourth, when Vanderbilt plated 5 runs, that the ‘Dores pulled away.
“He’s just got a hitter’s mentality. He just wants to hit anything that’s thrown forward,” Corbin said postgame.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Eastern Kentucky 0
Nye kicked things off with a punch-out of AJ Groenveld before inducing Mauri Bejarano into a pop out, but he couldn’t end the inning as he walked Nazir Mendez. Pitcher Elijah Underhill — a two-way player — entered the batter’s box and hit a ball well, but it landed harmlessly into the hands of RJ Austin in center field.
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Underhill took the mound for the Commodores, and Mike Mancini started the inning off for Vanderbilt with a flyout. RJ Austin didn’t fare much better, popping out to first. Johnston then got Vanderbilt on the board with a bomb over the left-field wall. Riley Nelson struck out to end the inning.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Diego Alana popped out to start the inning before Julius Scearce mashed a ball to the gap in left field for a double to give the Colonels their first baserunner of the day. Tait Nunnally then drew a four-pitch walk to bring Greg Caban up with one out and two on. Caban could not capitalize, though, grounding into a 4-6-3 double play and ending the inning.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Colin Barczi and Mac Rose both struck out swinging to start the inning. Braden Holcomb didn’t fare much better, flying out to center field.
Top 3: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Colby Ott and Groenveld both grounded out to kick the inning off before a Bejarana fly out sent the Colonels back into the dugout.
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Gavin Faulkner relieved Underhill after two innings of work, but Rustan Rigdon got to him early with a single to left field. David Mendez advanced Rigdon with a groundout to Faulkner, but Rigdon got picked off of second, leaving Mancini without anyone on base as he came up to the plate. Mancini singled and Austin walked to set Johnston up with two runners on base, but the first-year superstar struck out swinging.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 1, Eastern Kentucky 0
Nye opened the fourth with a strikeout of Mendez and Underhill, and he made it out of the inning despite allowing a walk after he caught Scearce swimming.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 6, Eastern Kentucky 0
Cade Schneider relieved Faulkner and hit Nelson to start the inning. Barczi then doubled to advance Nelson to third, and Rose came on with two runners in scoring position and delivered, grounding out to second base and scoring Nelson. Holcomb then walked and forced another pitching change as Niall Todd took the mound. A Rigdon double scored Barczi and sent Holcomb to third, and Mendez walked to load the bases for Mancini and the top of the Commodores’ order. A Mancini pop out threatened to end the inning, but Austin was hit by a pitch to bring another run in and send Brodie Johnston to the plate with all runners aboard. An error on a routine ground ball sent Rigdon and Mendez home.
Johnston stole second and Austin stole third before Nelson walked to load ‘em up once again. Eastern Kentucky brought in Hayden Collins, its third pitcher of the inning, and he quickly ended things by forcing Barczi — in his second plate appearance of the inning — to strike out.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 6, Eastern Kentucky 0
Levi Huesman relieved Nye after his typical four innings of work. The junior got right to work, striking out Nunnally, Caban and Ott.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 6, Eastern Kentucky 0
Brennan Seiber replaced Huesman on the mount but struggled early, allowing Groeneveld to reach on an opposite-field single. He settled in and induced a ground ball as Mancini, Johnston and Nelson teamed up for their second double play of the evening. He then caught Mendez looking to end the inning.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 7, Eastern Kentucky 0
Austin ripped a double that scored Mancini in and put Vanderbilt’s seventh run on the board. The hit put Addison Stockham on the mound for the Colonels. Stockham struck Johnston out before Nelson walked and Maldonado flied out to center. Rose walked, loading to bases for Holcomb, but he struck out swinging and eded the inning.
Top 8: Vanderbilt 7, Eastern Kentucky 0
England Bryan came in for Seiber after the sophomore pitched two scoreless innings. Nunnally walked before Bryan struck Caban, Ott and Groenveld — all swinging — to finish the inning.
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 10, Eastern Kentucky 0
Vanderbilt tacked on another run as RJ Hamilton walked and then advanced to third via two steals, ultimately scoring after a balk. Nelson walked, Maldonado struck out and Rose singled to pot runners on the corners with two outs. Holcomb got to first on an error and Nelson scored. Rigdon singled to right field and sent Maldonado home, ending the game.
“[The] best thing about it is just seeing how excited the team gets after doing it,” Rigdon said postgame.
Vanderbilt will be back in action against Arkansas on March 28 at Hawkins Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CDT.
