A week after its statement sweep over the Georgia Bulldogs, No. 15 Vanderbilt Baseball suffered a much different fate at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi, dropping two of three to the No. 23-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.
The Commodores were outslugged and outpitched on April 25 and 26, losing 8-3 on Friday and 7-1 on Saturday. However, they bounced back emphatically on Sunday, run-ruling the Rebels 13-0 to snap a three-game losing skid going back to their 5-3 loss to Middle Tennessee State on April 22. With their sights still set on hosting an NCAA Regional — and perhaps even a top-eight seed — the Commodores’ Sunday statement keeps them firmly in the mix.
Three Up
RJ’s back
RJ Austin rejoined Vanderbilt’s lineup on Friday after being temporarily sidelined with an arm injury, and he immediately provided a spark. Batting in the heart of the order, Austin reached base five times over the weekend, highlighted by a clutch two-RBI single on Sunday. Austin was also a menace on the basepaths, pulling off a straight steal of home on Friday night — evoking memories of another center fielder from Vanderbilt’s past.
Austin has struggled to produce at his usual level at times this season, but he remains vital to Vanderbilt’s success down the stretch. A true five-tool player with an old-school flair, Austin’s return to form could be the key to unlocking the next level of the Commodores’ offense.
Fennell firepower
Connor Fennell has emerged as a hidden gem for Vanderbilt’s pitching staff. On Sunday, he turned in his best performance yet, tossing a run-rule-shortened complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts and just one walk over seven innings — a dominant outing that earned him SEC pitcher of the week honors. Working at a rapid pace, Fennell flustered the Rebels all game — so much so that Ole Miss manager Mike Bianco was ejected for arguing pace-of-play rules. Fennell’s high leg-kick and low-arm slot continue to deceive hitters, and his pinpoint command cements him as a major weapon going forward.
Eyes on the prize
Despite dropping the series to Ole Miss, Vanderbilt remains in a strong position nearing the postseason. Sitting at 12-9 in SEC play, the Commodores likely need four more conference wins to lock up a top-16 seed and host a regional. With three more series (home against Alabama and Kentucky and away at Tennessee), Vanderbilt controls its own destiny. The Commodores currently sit third in the country in both rating percentage index (RPI) and strength of schedule, furthering their case not just to host but to push for a top-eight seed.
Three Down
Aces absent
Vanderbilt’s normally reliable pitching duo of JD Thompson and Cody Bowker both struggled this weekend. Thompson gave up five runs and eight hits across 4.1 innings on Friday, surrendering a pair of home runs. Bowker dazzled early on Saturday but quickly unraveled in the fourth inning, allowing six runs before being chased from the game.
Both Thompson and Bowker have shown flashes of brilliance this season, but have also struggled with consistency. If Vanderbilt wants to make a run to Omaha, it will need more consistency from its frontline arms.
Power back out?
After showing promising signs of life at the plate last weekend against Georgia, Vanderbilt’s power stroke largely disappeared in Oxford. Only Jonathan Vastine and Braden Holcomb homered in the series, leaving the offense stagnant in the first two games. While timely hitting fueled Sunday’s explosion (16 hits total), Vanderbilt’s lack of consistent home run power continues to put added pressure on it to string together long rallies, rather than change the game with one swing.
Road woes
Vanderbilt has struggled to find its footing away from Hawkins Field this season. The Commodores are just 8-7 on the road, compared to a dominant 22-4 mark at home. While the home record is somewhat inflated by midweek games, the contrast is still clear in SEC play — Vanderbilt is 6-6 on the road versus 6-3 at home.
Whether it’s the pitcher-friendly dimension of Hawkins Field (375 feet to the gaps in left-center and right-center field), the energy of the Commodore faithful or simply a sense of familiarity, Vanderbilt has looked noticeably more comfortable on its home turf. As the postseason looms, the VandyBoys will need to step it up away from home if they want to fulfill their aspirations.
Vanderbilt will next return home to face off against Indiana State in a midweek showdown at Hawkins Field at 6 p.m. CDT on April 29.
