Clemson, S.C. – Vanderbilt failed to put any offense together late Sunday night in a 6-0 loss to No. 21 Clemson to force a decisive Game 7 Monday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Commodores’ (35-23-1) offense could not get on track all night against Tigers’ (42-20) starter Tyler Jackson. The right-hander was steady in a two-hit shutout using sparkling defense behind him. Will Toffey drew a leadoff walk in the first inning and worked his way around to third base before being left there to begin a frustrating night at the plate for VU. Ro Coleman finally scratched out the team’s first hit of the game in the fourth inning but Jackson responded by retiring the next 14 Commodores before a two-out single from JJ Bleday snapped the streak in the eighth.
Jackson wrapped up the shutout in the ninth to force a Game 7 on Monday afternoon. The right-hander walked one and struck out three in his ninth win of the season.
Vandy starter Drake Fellows was the tough-luck loser despite turning in 6.2 quality innings. The right-hander bounced back from a shaky first, giving up a RBI-double to Chase Pinder with two outs. He battled to keep VU in the game through the middle innings, stranding four Tigers on the bases until Weston Jackson planted a solo homer in the left field seats for a 2-0 Clemson lead. Fellows’ night came to an end with runners aboard in the seventh with two outs. Fellow freshman Zach King ended the inning with a grounder to short to keep the Commodores close. But the Tigers tacked on two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to set the final score.
The Commodores and Tigers will play for the regional Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT.
