Commodores Turn Pitcher’s Duel Into 13-3 Run Rule Win Over Texas Tech
Vanderbilt Run Rules Texas Tech
After a tough ending to the first game for the No. 23 Vanderbilt Commodores, they returned for day two of the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Tex., and this started as sort of a pitcher’s duel as Texas Tech sent out Lukas Pirko and Vanderbilt brought out Austin Nye. However, things changed tremendously later on and the Commodores were able to run away.
Vanderbilt gave the Red Raiders a run in the top of the first that was set up with a couple of miscues, and that is something that has reared its head in the first couple of games of the Dores’ season. Aside from errors, the pitching really looks fine and there will be consistent run support. They’ve shown to be power hitters through two games with eight home runs.
Pirko was cruising through this one for the Red Raiders, and finally in the bottom of the fourth, Braden Holcomb sent one 386 feet for a two-run shot to put the Vandy Boys ahead 2-1. Until then, Pirko had been pretty clean and the Commodores finally got to him multiple times in that inning. After a Max Jensen strikeout, Rustan Rigdon reached on a single and then stole second with Logan Johnstone at bat.
That is where Pirko made another mistake and Johnstone scored Rigdon on an RBI double, and Ryker Waite followed with a two-run home run to give Vandy a 5-1 lead. That was Waite’s first collegiate hit after just recording two walks in eight appearances last season as a freshman.
Then the error bug hit Texas Tech on back-to-back hitters with two outs, and Pirko would exit for Jordan Espinoza. Things would continue to unravel and Braden Holcomb would come around again and clear the bases on a three-RBI double to push the lead to 8-1.
What a bottom of the fourth inning it was for Vanderbilt, and with that run support I thought that would give Nye more time with the lead, but Tyler Baird took the ball going into the fifth. Nye’s stuff was solid. Through four innings pitched, he recorded six strikeouts with only two hits and two walks issued. He was very efficient, recording 50 strikes in 72 total pitches.
Texas Tech immediately loaded the bases with two walks and a Kyeler Thompson single in between. Baird couldn’t quite command the ball coming in, and the Red Raiders were able to capitalize with a Connor Shouse RBI on a fielder’s choice to bring the score to 8-2.
With runners on the corners and one out, all Baird needed was a double play ball to get out of more danger, and he got just that. After getting a couple of strikes on Logan Hughes, a 4-6-3 got the Dores out of the side. Espinoza was able to settle things down for Tech in the fifth with two strikeouts.
Vanderbilt went to Brennan Seiber in the sixth and he would only allow a single, finishing the inning off with a strikeout to Robin Villeneuve. The bats seemed to have gained life, and with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Brodie Johnston sent one out for 418 feet off Logan Bevis to put the ninth Vanderbilt run on the board.
Seiber would toe the rubber again for the seventh inning and got a chance to see him work with a couple on base. While he gave up one run, I took more out of the inning watching Max Jensen play first base. Jensen definitely deserves credit for coming up with some of those incoming throws and going the extra effort to make sure he brings it in. Yes, it is his job, but he saves some extra base runners for sure.
After no runs scored in the bottom of the seventh, Wyatt Nadeau took the mound and the 6’6″ freshman looked good retiring the side in order and hitting the outside corner with an 88 mph cutter to sit Matt Quintanar down looking.
Ahead to the bottom of the eighth, it was just Brodie Johnston’s day. He added another for the Dores, crushing a 405-foot homer to give Vanderbilt a 10-3 lead.
Tommy Goodin may not have logged a hit today, but his overall approach at the plate will put him on base a lot this season. Goodin was able to work three walks. One of those walks came in the bottom of the eighth with one out, and that was the first of four consecutive to load the bases and score a run as Rigdon was credited with an RBI to take an 11-3 lead.
Things just derailed even more for TTU as Logan Johnstone beat out an infield RBI single that went to review and was upheld to give the Dores a 12-3 lead with one out. That was followed by a Ryker Waite RBI single to score Jensen, and Vanderbilt would complete the run rule with a 13-3 win over the Red Raiders.
Today’s game started out as a duel on the mound, but once Vanderbilt broke through and chased Pirko away, things just opened up even more. Hitters seven through nine today were a combined 6-for-14 with a home run, six RBI, and three runs scored. Brodie Johnston had a day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, two RBI, and three runs scored.
Comments 1