Things were looking bleak for Vanderbilt Baseball in the bottom of the eighth inning in its series finale against No. 18 Alabama. Down 7-2 and with dwindling opportunities to mount a comeback, Braden Holcomb stepped up to the plate with two outs and nothing to lose. A solo blast over the right-center field wall ignited something in Vanderbilt’s dugout. It electrified the seemingly drenched Vanderbilt faithful and instilled a belief that this team still has some magic left in the tank.
With its final four outs in Game 3, Vanderbilt put on an offensive masterclass. A two-run homer from Colin Barczi pulled Alabama’s lead back to two in the eighth, while a two-RBI double from Brodie Johnston in the ninth tied it up at 7-7. The memorable final Holcomb homer earned the Commodores a walk-off win, 9-7 (but more on that later).
This series was filled with two seemingly different versions of Vanderbilt Baseball: the good and the bad. In Game 1, Vanderbilt cruised to a run-rule victory, 12-2, and head coach Tim Corbin’s team looked refreshed after a series loss to Ole Miss a week prior.
But in Game 2, it all came crashing down. The Commodores generated just four hits and fell to a hungry Crimson Tide squad, 5-2. The important rubber match was up next on Sunday, and some late-game heroics salvaged the final game for Vanderbilt.
With the postseason growing nearer, Corbin and Co. must address its clear inconsistencies at the plate but capitalize on this newfound momentum. Sitting at 14-10 in the SEC, the Commodores are just a few wins away from locking up NCAA Tournament hosting privileges and extending their NCAA Tournament streak to a national-best 19 in a row.
Three up
The comeback kids
Vanderbilt’s late surge in Game 3 is simply too great to not mention first. After Vanderbilt’s bats had seemingly gone dead for seven-straight innings, the Commodores’ offense exploded and exposed one of the SEC’s strongest closers, Alabama’s Carson Ozmer. While Holcomb’s two-run blast to walk it off will be etched in Vanderbilt Baseball history, it was the prior at-bats that put him in the position to succeed. Mike Mancini’s single to start the ninth inning was placed over the head of Alabama’s shortstop and just out of reach for the left fielder. Vanderbilt lead-off man Rustan Rigdon was then walked to put two baserunners on with no outs.
Perhaps the most important play of the ninth inning was barely a hit at all. RJ Austin smartly laid down a bunt to advance Rigdon and Mancini to second and third, respectively. This key play set up Brodie Johnston’s double to tie up the game.
This collection of strategic offensive hits shows immense potential for the Vanderbilt offense. Fans have often criticized the Commodores’ inconsistent hitting. Take the Arkansas series as a prime example: Vanderbilt tallied just 20 hits and dropped all three contests. However, this late surge showed another offensive gear for the Commodores, even if it spanned just one inning.
JD Thompson, the ace
Friday night starter JD Thompson looked like one the best aces in the SEC in Game 1. The junior threw seven innings and 100 pitches, giving up just two hits and no earned runs. His dominant start was perhaps Vanderbilt’s most impressive stat line of the weekend.
Against Ole Miss a week ago, Thompson looked out of sorts. The lefty pitched 4.1 innings and gave up five earned runs, leaving his team down and the bullpen with plenty of work. His fastball wasn’t generating its normal whiff rate, and the Rebels had no issues generating plenty of hard contact as they tallied eight hits.
The Texas native needed a bounce-back, and he got just that on Friday night against the Crimson Tide. His command was sharp and he pitched deep into the game, as Corbin had to use just one reliever, Miller Green, to finish off the Crimson Tide.
If Thompson can continue to turn in quality starts, it will take pressure off the Vanderbilt bullpen early in a series.
A deadly trio
The heart of Vanderbilt’s batting order is the team’s engine. Always look to Riley Nelson, Johnston and Holcomb to knock one through a hole late in a game. Batting in the three, four and five holes, respectively, the trio combined for 14 of Vanderbilt’s 30 hits over the weekend’s three games. To think that almost half of Vanderbilt’s offense was generated by three guys in the batting lineup is quite remarkable.
Corbin and Co. might have toyed around with several options to fill out the 3-4-5 spots early this season, but these three stars have cemented themselves as the clear bats to bolster the heart of the order. Each has improved drastically over this year: Holcomb is batting .350 in SEC play, Johnston is hitting .317 in his last three SEC series and Nelson is batting an astounding .361 on the season.
These three players and their offensive production will make or break Vanderbilt’s postseason hopes.
Three down
An off night or a consistent problem?
From an outsider’s perspective, the Commodores’ series win was a complete success. Vanderbilt took two of three games against a ranked opponent and heads to Knoxville, Tennessee next weekend with momentum. Those facts aren’t wrong, but anybody who watched the three games knows that there are still obvious flaws with Corbin’s squad. Game 2 is the perfect example of this. The Vanderbilt offense earned just four hits, each from different players, to leave Hawkins field defeated.
However, it didn’t just stop there. The first seven innings of Game 3left much to be desired for the Commodores’ offense, as they tallied just five hits in these early innings. They might’ve salvaged the game with an offensive explosion in the eighth and ninth innings, but the hitting drought to start the game still raises some concerns. Time and time again this season, Vanderbilt has suffered from inconsistent hitting and a lack of power. Unlike the heavy-hitting No. 1 Texas Longhorns or No. 11 Arkansas Razorbacks, Vanderbilt is prone to hitting droughts and it can be costly.
Connor Fennell is… walking?
Sunday starter Connor Fennell’s greatest strength is his ability to pound the strike zone. While he is known for his low-velocity fastball but pinpoint accuracy, Fennell didn’t quite look like his normal self on Sunday night. He gave up three uncharacteristic walks in his 5.1 innings pitched; after giving up just three walks in the entire month of April. The righty paid for these lapses in concentration, as Alabama’s Garrett Staton and Will Hodo hit home runs following these walks.
On Sunday night, the New Hampshire native was a little too careful with his pitches as he tried to paint the edges of the strike zone. Instead, he should trust his elite command and know that he will miss some bats. Fennell has proven why he is a starter on this team, and this weekend’s stat line seems like a learning experience rather than a long-term issue.
“Fennell always competes, but he doesn’t walk people,” Corbins said postgame. “The walks bit him, and they bit him for five runs. Fennell does not get beat by back-to-back hits, it’s the long ball. He was pitching a little too carefully.”
The road ahead
Unfortunately for the Commodores, the road ahead is a difficult one. The annual Battle of the Barrel midweek matchup with No. 20 Louisville will likely require a strong pitching effort, potentially leaving a short staff for a matchup with in-state rival No. 15 Tennessee. The Commodores could potentially throw a bullpen game on Tuesday against the Cardinals, but a couple of players might need to pitch more than they are accustomed to over the course of the week. These next four games will test Vanderbilt’s pitching depth as well as its endurance, something which will need to be sharp as postseason play approaches.
Vanderbilt returns to action in Louisville, Kentucky, as it faces No. 20 Louisville in its midweek matchup on Tuesday, May 6.
