Grand Slams, No-Hitter Carry Vandy Boys Past Eastern Michigan 16-2
Vandy Boys Run-Rule with a No-No
Today, the Vandy Boys got back to work for their second game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, and freshman pitcher Connor Hamilton made his first start for the Dores. The right-hander out of nearby Thompson’s Station, Tenn., was near perfect in the first inning as he struck out two and put one on via hit by pitch.
Last night, the Commodores put up 13 hits and 13 runs, but Logan Johnstone did not record a hit. He walked four times. Today, Johnstone jumped on a leadoff opportunity in the bottom of the first and drove a base hit to center. He then moved to third on a Colin Barczi single up the middle to put runners on the corners with no outs.
Vanderbilt has done a good job of attacking the middle of the field, and Coach Tim Corbin mentioned that last night after the game. Brodie Johnston would take a smart approach at the plate to force a walk and load the bases. After Johnston’s hot start to the season, I would not be surprised if pitchers give him much of anything on purpose. The Dores would continue the hitting barrage, and Tommy Goodin cleared the bases with a grand slam to give Vanderbilt a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first with no outs recorded.
The first inning just kept going. After a Braden Holcomb single and Rustan Rigdon walk, Mack Whitcomb drilled an RBI single to center to bring home Holcomb and push the lead to 5-0. That would do it for Eastern Michigan’s Landon Mueller, who never recorded an out and left two on base for Jack Angus to try and hold. Ryker Waite would take a productive out with a sac fly to right that brought home Rigdon and made it 6-0.
Things just kept going in the wrong direction for Eastern Michigan and right for Vandy. With runners on second and third and two outs, Barczi recorded a two-RBI single that bounced off the first base bag to extend the lead to 8-0. That was followed by a Johnston RBI double to bring Barczi all the way from first to score, and the lead was 9-0 in the first inning.
Vanderbilt wasted no time today attacking, and regardless of the opponent the work still has to be done. That is what you want to see from your team. However, that long cool-off for freshman Hamilton may have messed with his command a little in the second as he issued three walks and a wild pitch that resulted in an Eastern Michigan run with two outs.
Hamilton bounced back to strand two runners with an inning-ending strikeout for his third of the game. This was a good bit of experience for him to work through an inning of challenges, and this huge lead gave him the opportunity to just figure it out alongside his catcher Barczi.
Holcomb delivered a leadoff single in the bottom of the second, but the way he got it is what matters. He beat out an infield hit to shortstop and got down the line with all he had. That type of effort says something about the mindset of this team, because even on a cloudy Wednesday evening with a 9-1 lead, they still put forth the max effort.
Ryker Waite just continues to see the fruits of his hard work. With the bases loaded and no outs, Waite jacked a grand slam to right to give the Dores a 13-1 lead. Waite is setting himself up to have a good year for the Vandy Boys. Coach Corbin talks about how he was patient last year and worked. Now he is getting his opportunity and using it well.
Eastern Michigan’s Carter White settled down a little after issuing a walk to Logan Johnstone and struck out the next three batters to get the Eagles out of the inning. Through two innings, Vandy had scored 13 runs on nine hits and had not given up a hit.
Hamilton’s day was done going into the third as Brennan Seiber took the mound. Hamilton finished with 2.0 innings, one run on no hits, three strikeouts and two walks. Seiber came in and initially issued a walk, but after a strikeout and double play turned, the side was done.
Carter White looks like the fearless pitcher for the Eagles. Aside from a Holcomb single and Waite walk in the bottom of the third, he struck out three to get through the inning, bringing his total to six strikeouts in two innings of work.
The Dores continued to get the relievers work, as Adria Casoliba took the ball heading into the fourth. Casoliba recorded his first collegiate strikeout and gave up nothing in his inning. Then in the fifth, Vandy went to another freshman in Nate Schlote. Schlote struck out his first ever collegiate batter, went on to record two in the inning, and catcher Korbin Reynolds got more time behind the plate.
Alex Kranzler, the junior from Norwood, New Jersey, took the ball in the sixth. Kranzler punched out his first couple of batters before a Bruce Jellison groundout to Ryker Waite at short retired the side in order. This staff had shut down the Eagles, and other than some walks, it was a solid day for Vanderbilt on the mound.
Vanderbilt also got some young hitters and reserves into the game and they delivered with some sixth-inning runs. With one on and two outs, Aukai Kea stepped in for his first collegiate at bat and crushed an 0-2 pitch to center to put the Dores up 15-2. What a special moment for Kea, one he will never forget for sure. Vandy would add another run after Max Jensen doubled, and he was brought in by a Chris Maldonado RBI single to make it a 16-2 game.
To wrap it all up, Nate Teague would take the mound in the top of the seventh to try and complete the second run-rule win against Eastern Michigan and a combined no-hitter. After a few walks and a run given up, Teague would exit for Tristan Bristow. Teague just could not get a hold of his command. Bristow came in to get one final out, and he would. Bristow completed the combined no-hitter with a strikeout to end it.
This game was one that started fast for the Dores, and after the first couple of innings saw a slow down in runs scored. Today in my opinion was about taking care of business early, and getting as much work and experience accomplished as possible. The Vanderbilt Commodores are now 3-2 on the young season, and will next host the Marist Red Foxes for a weekend series, beginning Friday at 2:00 PM CT and can be seen on SECN+.
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