Another Win at The Hawk

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt stole a season-high nine bases en route to a 9-2 win over Dayton on Tuesday evening at Hawkins Field.

Five different Commodores tallied a stolen base led by Mike Mancini with three and two each for Jonathan Vastine and Jacob Humphrey. It’s the most steals in a game for Vanderbilt since at least 2012, coming up three steals shy of matching the program’s record of 12 in 1989.

Five pitchers saw action in Tuesday’s win with Austin Nye getting the start. Nye struck out four batters and held Dayton to one run on three hits over 3.0 innings.

After Dayton went up 1-0 in the third, the Commodores responded loudly with a six-run frame in the home half.

Rustan Rigdon walked and advanced to third on a single by Mancini. A walk to RJ Austin loaded the bases and Brodie Johnston was hit by a pitch to tie the game at 1-1.

Mac Rose put Vandy in front with a two-run single through the right side, scoring Mancini and Austin. The inning continued with Rose stealing second to put runners on second and third for Chris Maldonado, who grabbed an RBI with a sac fly to plate Johnston from third.

Vastine walked and stole second before scoring along with Rose on a two-run single from Humphrey to make it a 6-1 game.

Ethan McElvain relieved Nye to start the fourth and went 2.0 innings, allowing one run with three strikeouts. Luke Guth took over in the sixth and tossed two scoreless innings and registered five strikeouts.

Jakob Schulz worked around a walk in the eighth to keep the Flyers off the board with one inning of work.

Vandy added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth. The Commodores loaded the bases with one out before three consecutive walks to Johnston, Rose and Braden Holcomb each brought home runs as Vandy built its advantage to 9-2.

Tristan Bristow finished off Dayton in the ninth with a clean frame, allowing just one hit.

Rose led the offense with a double and three runs driven in. Johnston and Humphrey finished with two RBI each. Vastine tallied a pair of doubles in the win and scored a run.

Vanderbilt improves to 25-8 on the season and 18-3 at Hawkins Field. The Dores go back on the road this weekend to face Oklahoma for a three-game series beginning Friday.