Vanderbilt Baseball (25-17, 9-9 SEC) took on Xavier University (19-23) at Hawkins Field Tuesday, April 21, looking to extend its winning streak to three before hosting No. 4 Texas this weekend.
Graduate Jacob Faulkner took his spot on the mound for the Commodores for his first start of the season. The righty put up a solid performance for the ‘Dores, who desperately needed him to go the distance, finishing his night going 4.1 innings and allowing just three hits and a single run while striking out two and walking two on 78 pitches.
On the offensive side, the Commodores were impressive. Tommy Goodin led the Commodores at the plate, going 3-of-4 with a double, a home run, and five RBIs. Braden Holcomb also went 4-of-5, collecting one extra base hit and one RBI. Shortstop Ryker Waite also gave the Commodores offense a boost with a grand slam. Ultimately, the high-octane offense would propel Vanderbilt to an 11-1 win over Xavier in eight innings.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Xavier 1
Xavier got out to an early lead following Clay Burdette’s homer. Despite striking Jonathan Fitz out, Faulkner was struggling on the mound, hitting both Josh Stonehouse and Peter Johnson with wild pitches. However, no additional damage was done as Luke Hammond flied out to left field, putting an end to the first frame.
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 3, Xavier 1
The Commodores started the half inning with Mike Mancini lining out to center. They quickly got base runners, though, when Brodie Johnston hit a single to right field and advanced to second on a Holcomb line drive through the left side. Goodin cleared the left-center stands for his ninth homer of the season, bringing Vanderbilt to an early lead. After Xavier’s Nick Boyle struck Mack Whitcomb out swinging, freshman Rustan Rigdon was left stranded after tripling out to left field when Ryker Waite grounded out to second.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 3, Xavier 1
Landon Mensik started the inning off by hitting a pop-up to second and was quickly followed by Carter Christenson striking out. Tanner Thomas, stepping in as pinch-hitter for Donavan Canterberry, singled back up the center of the field, but the inning quickly ended when Jorge Valdes lined out.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 3, Xavier 1
The second was quickly put to an end when the Commodores went three up, three down, after Aukai Kea lined out to center field, and both Will Hampton and Mancini struck out swinging.
Top 3: Vanderbilt 3, Xavier 1
To start the inning, Burdette grounded out to third. Despite Faulkner walking Stonehouse after hitting him with a wild pitch again, the frame ended when Fitz flied out to right field and Johnson hit a pop-up straight to Waite.
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 4, Xavier 1
Holcomb singled to center, advancing Johnston — who had previously walked — to third. Johnston then scored on Goodin’s sacrifice fly to center. Following Whitcomb’s pop-up to third, Boyle walked Rigdon, advancing Holcomb to second. Joey Arend, who stepped in to take over the mound for Boyle, loaded the bases after walking Waite. However, the Commodores were unable to capitalize on the runners when Kea struck out swinging, ending the inning.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 4, Xavier 1
The inning began with Hammond singling to center field before advancing to second when Faulkner walked Mensik. Christenson popped up to second, and the inning came to an end after Thomas grounded into a double play.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 4, Xavier 1
Arend quickly worked a 1-2-3 inning by getting both Hampton and Mancini to strike out looking and Johnston to ground out.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 4, Xavier 1
After taking over for Faulker when Burdette walked, right-hander Nate Schlote hit Stonehouse with a wild pitch. Burdette and Stonehouse advanced after Fitz grounded out to shortstop, but the duo was left stranded when Johnson struck out swinging.
Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
Holcomb doubled through the gap right-center to start the inning off, before crossing the plate when Goodin’s single drove him in. With bases loaded after Whitcomb singled and Rigdon walked, Karter Muck entered the game as Xavier’s third pitcher of the night. Muck was no match for Waite, who hit his second grand slam of the season and put the Commodores up by eight.
Kea struck out swinging, moments before Mancini singled through the left and advanced to second on the throw, while Hampton — who had previously been struck by a wild pitch— advanced to third. After Johnston struck out swinging, right-hander Owen Poole took the mound. Holcomb hit a chopper and was originally called safe at first before the play was overruled upon review and the inning came to an end.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
After a groundout from Hammond, Mensik walked and Alex Junghans took up a bat as a pinch hitter for Christenson before striking out swinging. Jakob Schultz entered the game for the Commodores with two outs and the bases loaded. The frame came to a close with Townsend grounding out to second.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
Poole ended the sixth going three up, three down, after a fly out by Goodin and strikeouts by Whitcomb and Rigdon, respectively.
Top 7: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
Xavier went down in order after Stonehouse lined out, and both Morton and Jason Jelic — who was pinch hitting for Johnson — struck out swinging.
Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
Eli Bridenthal stepped up to the mound for Poole and immediately walked Waite, before striking both Kea and Hampton out swinging. Waite stole second, but his efforts were in vain as the inning ended when Mancini grounded out to second.
Top 8: Vanderbilt 9, Xavier 1
Hammond started the eighth off with a single to third. JD Crisp entered the game as a pinch hitter for Junghans but struck out looking. Thomas grounded out to Waite, advancing Mensik to second after having walked earlier in the inning. However, Xavier failed to gain another run after Valdes lined out.
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 11, Xavier 1
Geddes became Xavier’s sixth pitcher of the night. Johnston, after reaching second due to a fielding error by third, scored when Holcomb singled to left field. Goodin hit a double down the left field line, advancing Holcomb to third. Whitcomb grounded out before Rigdon singled down the right field line, allowing Holcomb to score.
Vanderbilt will be back in action this weekend, opening its series against No. 4 Texas April 24 at 6 p.m. CDT at Hawkins Field.
