Vanderbilt Baseball (21-14, 7-6 SEC) hosted No. 16 Oklahoma (22-11, 5-8 SEC) for the first matchup of a three-game series at Hawkins Field. The game started with a pitching duel between Vanderbilt’s Connor Fennell and Oklahoma’s LJ Mercurius. The two pitchers combined for 204 pitches, going for 7.1 and 6.1 innings pitched, respectively. After the starters were replaced, though, the game turned into an offensive battle between the two teams. Ultimately it was the ‘Dores that pulled away to gain a Game 1 win in the series, 10-5.
The Black and Gold were led offensively by Mike Mancini, who collected two deep home runs and six RBIs on the night. Logan Johnstone added a difference-making homer in the eighth, while Holcomb and Johnston each added an RBI. Head coach Tim Corbin spoke highly of Mancini after his performance.
“[Mancini is] a baseball player. He can drop a bunt, he can run the bases, he can steal bases, he can hit the long ball,” Corbin said. “I mean, it’s almost like the perfect college kid, really, when you’re talking about building offense. He’s a championship player.”
It was a tight game throughout the night, which gives reason to believe this three-game series will be one to watch as the weekend approaches.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
Fennell started the game for the Commodores and came out of the gate smoking hot, striking out the first two batters before Oklahoma’s Trey Gambill made contact deep to left field for a double. Fennell quickly recovered, striking out the final batter to end the frame
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
Oklahoma pitcher Mercurius saw Fennell’s fast start and one-upped it, striking out all three batters he faced, including two of Vanderbilt’s top hitters, Mike Mancini and Brodie Johnston.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
Fennell started the inning with another quick strikeout, but an error on a ground ball hit down the first base line allowed OU’s Lachance to sprint to second. However, it wouldn’t matter, and the frame would end with a second strikeout and then a flyout to center field.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
The game remained scoreless through the second, as all three Vanderbilt batters went down, on a fly out to left, a grounder to second, and a strikeout, respectively.
Top 3: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
The highlight of the inning was a bouncing ball hit by Camden Johnson of Oklahoma, which tipped off Fennell’s glove and into the air before being fielded and thrown to first, which beat the runner. Hawkins Field saw another frame end scoreless when Mike Mancini fielded a grounder for the third out.
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 0
Mercurius continued his strong start to the game with an initial strikeout against Ryker Waite. Vandy got on base after a single from the next batter, freshman Korbin Reynolds, and was near the first run of the game, but Mike Mancini’s hit to center field came up just short of the fence, ending the third.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 0, Oklahoma 2
After a Trey Gambill strikeout to start the inning, Vanderbilt nearly made a play at first following a diving grab from shortstop Waite, but Brendan Brock beat the throw to first. He then successfully stole second and a few pitches later, beat the tag at third. An electric inning from Brock was rewarded when catcher Deiten Lachance homered to center. As the frame closed after a groundout to first, the game sat at a two-run game.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 1, Oklahoma 2
Brodie Johnston got on base as he has all season, with a line drive to center field for a double. Braden Holcomb followed it up with a double of his own off a poorly-read ball to left field, which drove in Vanderbilt’s first run of the game. The Commodores almost snagged a second run of the inning when an error occurred on a throw to first, but OU was able to pick off Holcomb as he attempted to get to home, ending the inning at 1-2.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 1, Oklahoma 2
Oklahoma got back to back hits to center to start the inning, and while the first ended in a fly out, the second hit from OU’s Jason Walk landed for a single. Fans got some deja vu after three pick-off attempts at first, but when Walk did decide to take-off, Reynold’s ball was able to beat him to second for the second out of the frame. Oklahoma’s next batter was their last, as a groundout got Vandy back to the plate.
Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 1, Oklahoma 2
Another inning, another Mercurius strong showing. The pitcher retired three straight batters, on two strikeouts and a pop-fly to left, leaving Vanderbilt still down by one.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 1, Oklahoma 2
Fans of good defense enjoyed this outing from the Commodores. A Fennell strikeout started the frame, and then a nice double play fielded near third took OU’s offense off the diamond in a blink.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 2, Oklahoma 2
Mancini. The senior continued his nice game with a powerful home run to start the inning, tying the game at 2-2. The next batter, Johnston, also found himself on base again, a single resulting from a ball towards the left field wall. Unfortunately, a couple consecutive outs left Johnston stranded to end the inning.
Top 7: Vanderbilt 2, Oklahoma 2
Vanderbilt put themselves in a good position in the 7th, after a nice tag out at first and good pitching from Fennell left Oklahoma with zero runs on the frame, and a 2-2 game going into the bottom of the inning.
Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 5, Oklahoma 2
Vanderbilt once again found a base coming from a Waite single. At almost seven innings pitched, Oklahoma pulled Mercurius, and in came sophomore pitcher Kadyn Leon. With Waite, Reynolds, and Rigdon loading the bases, the VandyBoys capitalized off the bat of Mancini. The senior hit a deep shot to left, which bounced off the wall and drove in two runs in the process. The inning ended on another Vanderbilt RBI, before a tag out when Mancini was beat by a throw to home.
Top 8: Vanderbilt 5, Oklahoma 4
Fennell surpassed 100 pitches on the game in the 8th. The first out came from a pop out to right, but OU found base when a ball hit into deep left to put Jason Walk on second. After his stellar 8-inning performance, Fennell was pulled from the game and replaced by freshman Tyler Baird. Baird retired one batter on a fly-out to center, which advanced Walk to third base. The next batter was walked, paving the way for OU’s Trey Gambill, whose batting average is .330 on the season, to double to right field and drive in a run. Brock followed, who made contact and singled, driving in the frame’s second run. Baird eventually found his rhythm and put the batter away, stranding two runners and holding the ‘Dores to a one-run lead.
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 10, Oklahoma 4
Vanderbilt was struck out to start the inning, but got on base when Holcomb was walked by pitcher Jason Bodin. Holcomb stole second a few pitches later, and after an errant throw to second on the next pitch, Holcomb took it all the way home to give the Commodores a two-run lead. The fireworks continued in the eighth, when Logan Johnstone fired a ball over the center field wall to bring the VandyBoys total to seven runs on the night. The following batter, Waite, was hit by a low pitch and then advanced to second when Reynolds made contact for a single. And who else but Mike Mancini continued his career day with another home run that drove in his sixth RBI of the night. The inning came to an end with the Commodores leading by 6.
Top 9: Vanderbilt 10, Oklahoma 5
Baird stepped in and helped the Commodores to victory. Back-to-back strikeouts started the inning, and although Oklahoma would drive in one runner, a strikeout ended the game, securing the Vanderbilt win.
The Commodores will take on Oklahoma tomorrow, Friday, April 10, at 6 p.m., for the second game of the three game series at Hawkins Field.
