NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Braden Holcomb launched a three-run, walk-off home run to lead No. 9 Vanderbilt past Kentucky, 8-7, in the series opener on Thursday night at Hawkins Field.
The Wildcats led the entire way until the final pitch. Vandy trailed by five twice in the contest including being down 7-2 in the fifth inning.
Holcomb and the Commodores have won back-to-back home games via walk-off homers after Holcomb also capped the comeback against Alabama on May 4. Vandy also trailed 7-2 in that win.
Kentucky burst out to a five-run lead in the top of the first using an RBI double, a three-run homer and a solo shot.
Vanderbilt cut into the Wildcat lead in the bottom of the third. RJ Austin reached on a fielder’s choice to bring Riley Nelson to the plate. Nelson blasted a two-run homer 427 feet to right field to make it a 5-2 game.
Kentucky got a run back in the top of the fourth on a throwing error and added another run on a single in the top of the fifth to take a 7-2 advantage.
Mike Mancini led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run, his second in as many games. Rustan Rigdon then ripped a double and took third on an error. Austin followed with another double, scoring Rigdon from third.
Austin moved to third on a groundout before scoring the inning’s third run on a single by Brodie Johnston to trim Kentucky’s lead down to two runs.
The score remained 7-5 until the ninth inning. Rigdon worked a walk to lead off the inning and Riley Nelson was hit by a pitch put the tying run on base. With two strikes and two outs, Holcomb blasted his ninth home run 440 feet to left-center to send the Hawkins Field fans home with a Commodore victory.
Vandy’s bullpen allowed just two runs over the final 8.1 innings. Luke Guth earned the win with a perfect ninth inning of work.
England Bryan turned in a scoreless frame and Levi Huesman escaped a bases-loaded situation with no outs in the seventh, getting a strikeout and double play. Huesman held Kentucky scoreless over two innings of work.
Alongside Holcomb’s heroics, Nelson finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Rigdon and Austin each scored twice.
Vanderbilt improves to 37-16 overall and 17-11 in conference games. The Commodores and Kentucky will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday for Game 2 of the series.
