NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 6 Vanderbilt completed its three-game sweep of defending champion No. 3 Ole Miss with a 7-2 win Saturday at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores rallied from a 2-0 deficit, scoring seven unanswered runs to sweep the Rebels for the first time since 2013.
Ole Miss struck first with a solo home run in the top of the second off the bat of Jacob Gonzalez.
Calvin Harris doubled the Ole Miss lead with a solo shot to lead off the top of the fourth.
The Dores broke through in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run inning. Enrique Bradfield Jr. worked a walk to lead off the frame and Davis Diaz was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out. Bradfield and Diaz executed a double steal and RJ Schreck brought Bradfield home with a sac fly to center.
Jack Bulger then launched a two-run homer, his second long ball on the week, to give Vanderbilt a 3-2 lead.
Go-ahead Bulger bomb đź’Ł#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/MOBhTVyED9
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 18, 2023
Bulger delivered again in the bottom of the sixth to extend Vandy’s lead to 4-2. Diaz reached on a single and Schreck worked a walk. Both runners took off on a 3-2 pitch to Bulger and the junior lined a single back up the middle, allowing Diaz to score from second and Schreck to move to third.
The Dores weren’t done yet. Bulger took off for second base and delayed to get caught in a rundown. Schreck sprung for home and beat an errant throw to complete a successful double steal.
RJ Austin then singled to left and Chris Maldonado was intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing up Matthew Polk. Polk singled down the third-base line to plate Bulger and Austin and put the Dores in front 7-2.
Devin Futrell (W, 4-1) held Ole Miss to two runs on three hits over five innings. Sam Hliboki and Nick Maldonado each tossed two scoreless innings. Hliboki struck out three while giving up one hit. Maldonado didn’t allow a hit over the final two frames.
Vanderbilt’s pitching held the high-powered Ole Miss offense to just four runs over 26 innings while racking up 23 strikeouts.
Vanderbilt (16-5, 3-0 SEC) returns to First Horizon Park to face Lipscomb at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the second of two All 4 Lou Showdown contests. The Commodores defeated Belmont last Tuesday at First Horizon Park. Proceeds from both games benefit the Live Like Lou Foundation. Tuesday’s contest will air on SECN+.
