Following its three-game skid in the Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Classic, Vanderbilt (7-6) returned home to Hawkins Field and looked to bounce back against Central Arkansas (8-5). The Commodores didn’t lead once the entire game and have now lost their past four games.
“We have first and second, three different times, and weren’t able to get the big hit,” Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin said after the game. “We just haven’t been able to move the ball and get the timely hit.”
Ryker Waite was one of the only bright spots for Vanderbilt, as he picked up an RBI single in both the sixth and eighth innings to try and fuel the Commodores’ comeback.
“They certainly pitched well at the end of the game too, and stopped any momentum that we had,” Corbin said.
Central Arkansas scored three runs in the third and two in the fifth, which was just enough to edge out the Black and Gold for a midweek upset.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 0
Alex Kranzler got the leadoff man, Jayden Sloan, to groundout to first base, but then ran into a bases-loaded jam after a hit by pitch, an infield single, and an error by Carter Johnstone. However, Kranzler was able to escape without any harm, getting Landon Carter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 0
Despite walks from Mike Mancini and Braden Holcomb, Patrick Fernandez, the junior pitcher for Central Arkansas, induced Chris Maldonado to pop up, and Max Jenson to groundout to end the inning.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 0
Kranzler made quick work of the Bears in the second, striking out the side in just twelve pitches.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 0
Collin Brightwell was able to work a two-out walk, but Fernandez was able to bounce back and strike out Carter Johnstone for another scoreless frame.
Top 3: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 3
Noah Goodshield and Sloan lead off the inning with back-to-back walks, and a Parker Gwyn fielder’s choice advanced them to second and third, respectively. Zeb Allen then hit a blooper to left field to plate the game’s first runs. The damage wasn’t done, though, as a passed ball scored Sloan, and Jac Runsick hit a sac-fly to make it three runs for the Bears in the inning.
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 3
Logan Johnstone started the inning by getting Vanderbilt’s first hit of the game. Mancini followed him up by walking, but Fernandez swiftly ended the Black and Gold’s momentum, getting Holcomb to fly out. With a neat pick Rusnick, the third baseman for the Bears, was able to step on third and throw across the diamond to turn an inning-ending double.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 0, Central Arkansas 3
Kranzler picked up his fourth strikeout of the day en route to a three-up, three-down inning.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 1, Central Arkansas 3
Mack Whitcomb blasted one off the batter’s eye to put Vanderbilt on the scoreboard and cut the deficit to two.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 1, Central Arkansas 5
Goodshield was able to hit against the shift and sneaked one into right field for a single. Goodshield then stole second base, and with Carter Johnstone having to keep him close to the bag, Gwyn was also able to find a hole on the right side of the infield, making it first and third with one out. The junior, Allen, picked up his third hit of the game on a line drive to center field, knocking Kranzler out of the game. Adria Casoliba entered the game for the Commodores, struck out Runsick, but before he could stop the bleeding, Casoliba gave up an RBI single to Zac Land to make it 5-1 Bears.
Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 2, Central Arkansas 5
Carter Johnstone singled to right center, and then Mancini drew a walk, which made Central Arkansas go to their bullpen. JB Williams entered the game for the Bears and threw a wild pitch, setting up Holcomb to hit a fielder’s choice and plate Johnstone.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 2, Central Arkansas 5
Casoliba remained in the game for Vanderbilt and recorded a 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 3, Central Arkansas 5
Max Jensen doubled off the left field wall and then reached third on a balk to start the bottom half of the inning. Whitcomb struck out, but was picked up by Waite, who singled on a line drive to center. Brightwell followed Waite up by poking one into left and forcing Central Arkansas to go deeper into their bullpen. The Bears turned to Braxton Haywood, who induced Carter Johnstone to roll over into a double play to end the inning.
Top 7: Vanderbilt 3, Central Arkansas 5
The freshman, Casoliba, worked around a walk to Gwyn by getting Allen to lineout to the shortstop Waite, which doubled off Gwyn, and secured another scoreless frame for the Black and Gold.
Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 3, Central Arkansas 5
Vanderbilt, with the top of the lineup due, didn’t record a baserunner with Logan Johnstone and Mancini striking out, and Holcomb hitting a soft chopper to third.
Top 8: Vanderbilt 3, Central Arkansas 5
Tyler Baird came in relief for the VandyBoys and recorded a 1-2-3 inning while striking out one.
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 4, Central Arkansas 5
Denver Hamilton took the rubber for Central Arkansas to start the eighth. Hamilton got Maldonado to line out and then surrendered a walk to Jensen. Cade Sears entered as a pinch runner for Jensen and immediately made an impact. Sears attempted to steal second and was able to advance to third on an errant throw by the catcher, Zach Adams. Whitcomb struck out swinging, but again Waite stepped up and hit a line drive to center field to cut the lead to one.
Top 9: Vanderbilt 4, Central Arkansas 5
In two innings of work for Baird, the freshman recorded two three-up, three-down innings.
Bottom 9: Vanderbilt 4, Central Arkansas 5
Down to their last three outs, Korbin Reynolds pinch-hit for Carter Johnstone, but the Bears’ closer, Hunter Alexander, struck him out on four pitches. The lineup then turned over to Carter Johnstone, who rolled over and hit a groundball to the first baseman. The ‘Dores were down to their last out, and on the very first pitch, Mancini hit a chopper to third to end the game.
Vanderbilt has now lost their last four games and will look to bounce back tomorrow where it will take on the Troy Trojans at 3 p.m. CST at Hawkins Field.
