Vanderbilt Baseball (26-18, 10-10 SEC) hosted No. 4 Texas (31-9, 12-7 SEC) for the second game of the weekend series on Saturday, April 25. The starting pitcher for the Commodores was the left-handed freshman Aiden Stillman, while the right-handed Ruger Riojas took the mound for the Longhorns.
After a crushing loss on Friday, the Commodores looked to bounce back and secure a must-win game against a highly ranked Texas team. The Commodores offense started off strong, scoring three runs in the first inning, off the back of Braden Holcomb’s 2-run homer and a total of four extra base hits. The Commodores continued their offense in the third, plating two more, highlighted by a Ryker Waite triple. The Commodores also plated an insurance run in the eighth after a throwing error and some heads-up baserunning by Mike Mancini.
The Commodores’ pitching was just as good; Aiden Stillman and Luke Guth recorded 6 and 4 strikeouts respectively, while only allowing 3 total hits. Texas’s bats were unusually cold, with Vanderbilt’s closer, Tyler Baird, allowing just 2 hits, while striking out 4 in the last three innings. This was Vanderbilt’s first shutout of an SEC team this season, and the first time the Longhorns had been shut out this year.
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin believes his team’s performance tonight will have a positive impact heading into the series finale on Sunday.
“It gets us to even, that’s really it. It’s a good feeling going into Sunday, we certainly didn’t want to go into Sunday 0-2,” Corbin said.
Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Texas 0
The leadoff man hit a ball to deep left to start the game, but Will Hampton made a nice catch for the first out. Carson Tinney followed suit, hitting a double off the left-field wall. The Longhorns continued to see the ball well, as Anthony Pack Jr. poked a single into center field, moving the runner to third. Stillman struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning without conceding a run.
Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 3, Texas 0
Mike Mancini rocketed a ball off the left-field wall for a leadoff double, getting the offense started for the Commodores. Brodie Johnston followed suit, hitting a ball to left field that barely stayed in the ballpark, scoring a run and earning himself a triple. Holcomb launched a ball into the left field bleachers for a no-doubter home run, scoring two and recording Vanderbilt’s third extra-base hit of the inning. Riojas struck out Colin Barczi to record the first out of the inning. Tommy Goodin lined a ball off the left-field wall for a double. Rustan Rigdon grounded out to record the second out, and Waite flied out to left, stranding Rigdon on third.
Top 2: Vanderbilt 3, Texas 0
Stillman walked the leadoff man in Temo Becerra, his first walk of the game. Stillman then bounced back, striking out both Ashton Larson and Casey Borba. Josh Livingston flied out to the right field to end the inning.
Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 3, Texas 0
Korbin Reynolds struck out in his first plate appearance of the game. Hampton singled with a liner up the middle. Mancini struck out after working a full count, but Hampton safely stole second base, putting a runner into scoring position for the Commodores. Johnston struck out on a high fastball, stranding the runner at second and ending the inning.
Top 3: Vanderbilt 3, Texas 0
Stillman quickly retired the first two batters but hit the Longhorns’ right-fielder to allow a baserunner. The Commodores got out of the inning with a liner straight to Waite.
Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Holcomb led off the inning with a single through the right side. Barczi followed with a double off-the-wall, advancing Holcomb to third and giving the Commodores two runners in scoring position with no outs. Goodin worked a full count, but Riojas struck him out. Rigdon grounded out to the pitcher, scoring a run. Waite tripled to right field, scoring Barczi and putting the Commodores up by five. Reynolds struck out to end the inning, stranding Barczi.
Top 4: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Stillman retired the first two batters before walking the Longhorns left fielder. After the walk, Luke Guth was put in to relieve Stillman. Overall, Stillman ended with impressive stat line of 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K’s, 0 ERs. Guth quickly struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning.
Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
A new pitcher in Thomas Burns starts the inning for the Longhorns. The Commodores had a quiet inning going down 1-2-3.
Top 5: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Guth made quick work of the first two batters, recording two strikeouts. Texas’s Carson Tinney laced a single into left field, but the Commodores got their third out on the next batter with a fielder’s choice.
Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
The Commodores go down quietly, with Holcomb, Barczi and Goodin going down to Texas’s right-hander.
Top 6: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Guth started off the inning by striking out Adrian Rodriguez. Guth induced a groundout to the shortstop, Waite, who made a great play to record the second out. Texas’s Temo Becerra put the ball in play but grounded out to end the inning, Longhorns down 1-2-3.
Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Rigdon led off for the Commodores, hitting a ball sky-high to center for the first out. Waite singled through the left side, recording his second hit of the game. Reynolds struck out to record the second out. Waite stole second base, but a throwing error by Texas catcher allowed him to reach third. Hampton grounded out to end the inning, stranding a runner on third.
Top 7: Vanderbilt 5, Texas 0
Tyler Baird relieved Luke Guth, who finished with an impressive stat line of 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks, 0 ERs. Baird retired Larson, Borba and Livingston in order, recording two more strikeouts.
Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 6, Texas 0
Mancini led off and reached base for the Commodores with a bunt single. Johnston flied out to right, failing to move the runner over. Mancini stole second; the Commodores third steal of the day. Following a walk issued to Holcomb, Texas right-hander Jason Flores relieved Burns.
Barczi grounded into a fielder’s choice up the middle, Texas got the out at second base, but a throwing error allowed Barczi to reach, and Mancini to slide into home, safe on a close play, giving the Commodores a 6-run lead. Goodin continued the hit parade, grounding one past a diving Texas third-baseman for another single; Cade Sears pinch ran. Rigdon was hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs. Waite grounded out to second base, stranding the bases.
Top 8: Vanderbilt 6, Texas 0
Baird started the inning with an induced pop out for the first out. Baird then worked a full count before hitting a batter. Carson Tinney singled to give the Longhorns their first runner in scoring position since the first inning. Rodriguez lined out right to shortstop who touched second base for the double-play, ending Texas’s late-game threat before it even started.
Bottom 8: Vanderbilt 6, Texas 0
Flores made quick work of Reynolds and Hampton, before Mancini reached on a walk. Mancini stole second for his second steal of the game, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. Johnston grounded out to end the inning.
Top 9: Vanderbilt 6, Texas 0
Mendoza led off the side and singled up the middle. Becerra lined out to the second baseman, keeping the runner first and recording the first out. Baird struck out the next two batters to shutout the Texas Longhorns and even the series 1-1.
