No. 19 Vanderbilt Baseball (29-10, 10-7 SEC) rode hot bats to a 13-7 victory against No. 5 Georgia (34-7, 10-7 SEC) on April 18 in the second game of the weekend series. It was a picturesque spring night in Nashville, with the weather at an even 80 degrees at first pitch, and the Commodore faithful watched a power surge from their lineup as the Black and Gold hit four home runs. Colin Barczi, Brodie Johnston (twice) and Braden Holcomb all went deep.

“I thought we did a good job battling at-bats,” head coach Tim Corbin said after the game. “It was a good night, we did get some balls in the air, loud, which obviously was a big help to the scoreboard. I think it was a culmination of a lot of good at-bats.

Johnston ended the night with seven RBIs, and the first-year superstar is now up to three home runs on the weekend. 

“I feel like it’s just all the other guys picking me up,” Johnston said. “Just sticking to it instead of going off the rails if I miss a pitch.”

Cody Bowker got the starting nod for the weekend’s second game, squaring off against the Bulldogs’ Kolten Smith.  Bowker was sharp before a lightning issue forced a 45-minute break in the game — he pitched 3 scoreless innings before the break but allowed a 3-run home run after it and Vanderbilt went to the bullpen for the last six innings. Levi Huesman, Alex Kranzler and Miller Green closed out the game for the ‘Dores.

Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Georgia 0

Bowker started the night off where JD Thompson left off last night, striking Ryan Black and Slate Alford out. Robbie Burnett drew a five-pitch walk, but Colin Barczi ended the inning when he threw Burnett out on a steal attempt.

Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 0, Georgia 0

RJ Austin led off for Vanderbilt but couldn’t start on a positive note, striking out looking. Jonathan Vastine and Riley Nelson followed suit, both striking out swinging. 

Top 2: Vanderbilt 0, Georgia 0

Bowker picked up his third strikeout of the evening with a perfectly placed fastball to Tre Phelps. The right-handed hurler then ended the inning quickly with a strikeout of Christian Adams and a groundout from Daniel Jackson.

Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 2, Georgia 0

Johnston popped out to second base to start the inning before Rustan Rigdon grounded out. Braden Holcomb reached thanks to a bloop single to shallow right center field, stretching to second after an error. Barczi started the scoring off with a home run over the left field wall to give Vanderbilt an early lead. Jacob Humphrey and Mike Mancini both reached on singles, but Humphrey got caught in a pickle after a baserunning error, ending the inning. 

Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 5, Georgia 0

Austin struck out looking once again before Vastine reached on a single to shallow right field. Nelson walked and Johnston hit his second homer in as many days, bringing three runs in.

“Watching freshen that are like him, I just think that after a while they get beaten up enough that they start to understand how to hit a little but more patient[ly], getting their swing off in the right situation.”

Rigdon flied out to deep and Holcomb walked before a faulty light in Georgia’s dugout delayed the game for nearly 45 minutes.

Barczi came back in after the lights were fixed and lined out to shortstop, ending the inning.

Top 4: Vanderbilt 5, Georgia 3

Bowker stayed in the game and Burnett opened the inning with a double to the right field gap before Phelps walked and Adams struck out swinging. Jackson then got the Bulldogs on the board with a 3-run shot to left field. Hudson worked a walk and Bowker exited the game for Levi Huesman. 

Huesman got McCarthy swinging but let up a single to Branch and hit Bryce Clavon, who pinch hit for Black. Alex Kranzler entered the game, using his 96-mile-per-hour heater to escape the jam with a strikeout. 

“Kranzler’s inning in the fourth with the bases loaded was probably a key moment as well,” Corbin said.

Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 5, Georgia 3

Zach Harris came back in for Georgia after facing Barczi in the previous inning. He got Humphrey to fly out before he struck Mancini and Austin out swinging, ending the inning. 

Top 5: Vanderbilt 5, Georgia 3

Burnett fouled out to third base before Phelps roped a single to right field. Adams hit a double-play ball to Mancini at second base, but an errant throw allowed all runners to reach safely. Jackson struck out looking and Hudson popped out as Kranzler escaped the inning clean. 

Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 7, Georgia 3

Vastine flied out and Nelson walked to start the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Johnston drove him in on a double down the left field line before Rigdon lined out and Matthew Hoskins replaced Harris on the mound for Georgia. Holcomb brought in another run with a single up the middle of the infield and Barczi walked. Humphrey eventually struck out, ending the inning.

Top 6: Vanderbilt 7, Georgia 3

Kranzler made quick work of the Bulldogs, going three up, three down. 

Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 3

Mike Mancini reached on a walk before Alton Davis II came in for Hoskins. Austin grounded into a fielder’s choice and stole second. Vastine walked and Nelson doubled to left field, bringing Austin home and putting runners on second and third with one out. Davis Chastain relieved Davis, who logged just 0.1 innings pitched. 

Johnston took Chastain’s first pitch deep for a 3-run home run. Rigdon kept it going with a walk and stole second base thanks to a nifty swim move. Holcomb then took Chastain deep to center field, scoring Rigdon and bringing Vanderbilt into run-rule territory. Barczi flied out and Humphrey struck out, ending the inning.

Top 7: Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 7

Doubles from Alford and Burnett brought in a run for Georgia. Phelps struck out and Adams grounded out before Jackson walked to put runners on the corners. Hudson then took Kranzler deep for a three-run home run. Miller Green replaced Kranzler and induced a groundout to end the inning. 

Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 7

Vanderbilt went three up, three down and Charlie Goldstein came in to pitch for the Bulldogs. 

Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 7

Vastine reached on a single before Johnston and Rigdon struck and popped out, respectively. Holcomb reached on an infield single to third base, but Barczi grounded out, ending the inning.

Top 9: Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 7

Green finished the game off, going 1-2-3 through the Bulldogs’ order. 

“You could sense that that game could go in a lot of different directions,” Corbin said. “[That performance was] important for him, [and] important for our team.”

The Commodores will be back in action on April 19 at 2 p.m. CDT, looking for a series sweep of the Bulldogs.