NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 4 Vanderbilt claimed the series against No. 6 South Carolina with a 6-4 victory Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
Devin Futrell went 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts and held the Gamecocks to two runs on four hits. Ryan Ginther (W, 2-0) tossed the final 3.2 frames and earned the win while holding South Carolina to two runs on two hits.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. and RJ Schreck led the Vanderbilt offense with two hits apiece. The Commodores took advantage of clutch two-out hitting to score three runs in the sixth inning to pull away and grab the series.
South Carolina’s Ethan Petry gave the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead with a solo home run with two outs in the first.
The Commodores used three hits, including two doubles, to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Jack Bulger led off with a double and Parker Noland drove in Vandy’s first run with a two-out two-bagger off the wall in left.
Go-ahead run by Vasty 💪#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/MgWPCIUlbK
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 16, 2023
After Matthew Polk was hit by a pitch, Jonathan Vastine singled through the right side to score Noland from second.
Go-ahead run by Vasty 💪#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/MgWPCIUlbK
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 16, 2023
The Gamecocks tied it at 2-2 on a sac fly in the top of the sixth but Vanderbilt quickly retook the lead in the home half.
Vastine got things going with a two-out walk and Bradfield followed with a single. After Diaz was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Schreck worked a walk to bring home Vastine. The Dores plated two more on an error that allowed both Bradfield and Diaz to score to put the Dores in front 5-2.
Tacking on two more in the sixth 💪#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/qHgNLjv8Rz
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 16, 2023
South Carolina trimmed Vandy’s lead to two with an RBI double in the top of the eighth, but once again the Commodores had an answer.
The Gamecocks brought in a new pitcher for the bottom of the eighth and Bradfield sent the first pitch of the frame over the wall in left-center for his fifth home run on the season, giving Vanderbilt a three-run lead again at 6-3.
EBJ homers off the first pitch he sees in the eighth 🤯#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/H0tq56xu14
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 16, 2023
The Gamecocks pulled within two with a solo homer in the ninth but Ginther and the Commodores held on to take Game 3 and the series with a 6-4 win at Hawkins Field.
Vanderbilt (29-7, 13-2 SEC) remains in first place in the SEC East. The Commodores are back in action at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Indiana State at Hawkins Field.
