NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s offense exploded for 20 runs on 17 hits Tuesday night at Hawkins Field in a 20-4, seven-inning run-rule win against Indiana State.
Camden Kozeal was one of five Commodores who drove in multiple runs Tuesday. The freshman went 4-for-5 with five RBI and hit his first collegiate homer, a three-run shot in the third inning. Jacob Humphrey and RJ Austin each drove in four runs. Troy LaNeve had a three-RBI night and Calvin Hewett drove in a pair as well.
Double-digit night for the Dores. 😤
20 R | 17 H | 3 HR | 1 3B | 2 2B pic.twitter.com/HO3h1B6lx0
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) February 28, 2024
The Commodores scored a run in every inning and every starter in the lineup scored at least one run.
Humphrey had a big first inning for the Commodores. Making his second start on the season, Humphrey took away an extra-base hit in the top of the first with a diving catch in the right field corner. He then led off the bottom of the inning with a 432-foot home run to left-center, giving Vanderbilt a 1-0 lead.
.@jacobhu63477817 laying it ALL OUT in right field. 🤯 #VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/HtbbjGovaE
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) February 27, 2024
RJ Austin was hit by a pitch and took second on an error before scoring on a single by Camden Kozeal, giving the Dores a 2-0 lead at the end of the first frame.
Vandy added to its lead in the second inning after a leadoff double by Jonathan Vastine. Vastine moved up to third on a sac bunt by Humphrey and scored on a groundout by Austin to put Vandy up 3-0.
The Dores pushed six runs across in the bottom of the third. Jayden Davis reached base on an error to lead off the inning and Troy LaNeve followed with a two-run homer to left, his first on the season.
Davis Diaz worked a walk and Calvin Hewett legged out a bunt-single before the pair moved up 60 feet on a sac bunt by Vastine. After Humphrey walked, Austin grounded out to score Diaz from third.
With two on and two out, Kozeal went deep for his first collegiate home run, making it a 9-0 game.
First home run for the freshman is a 3️⃣-run bomb @camden_kozeal 💣💥#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/SfjR9Cj1lf
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) February 27, 2024
Indiana State got on the board with a three-run homer in the top of the fourth, cutting Vanderbilt’s lead to 9-3.
The Commodores answered with three runs of their own in the home half of the inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Humphrey tripled to center field to make it 12-3.
Indiana State used back-to-back doubles in the top of the fifth to plate a fourth run, but once again Vanderbilt had a response. After Espinal singled in the bottom of the fifth, Davis drove him in with a double down the line in right to put Vandy on top 14-4.
Vandy’s biggest inning came in the bottom of the sixth as the Dores batted around and put seven more runs on the board.
The Commodores loaded the bases with no outs on a walk by Hewett, single by Vastine and walk by Humphrey. Austin brought two runs home on a single and Kozeal followed with another run-scoring single. After Espinal worked a walk to load the bases again, LaNeve dropped a base hit into center field to score Austin. Diaz plated Kozeal with a sac fly and Hewett capped the inning with a two-run single up the middle to put the Dores on top 20-4.
Andrew Dutkanych IV relieved Vanderbilt starting pitcher JD Thompson (W, 2-0) in the top of the seventh and retired the Sycamores in order, ending the game. Thompson earned the win with six innings of work. He struck out five and didn’t allow a walk.
Vanderbilt moves to 6-3 on the season while Indiana State falls to 7-1. Vandy hosts Evansville at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Field.
