NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt defeated Middle Tennessee 9-1 on Tuesday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
Vandy starting pitcher Connor Hamilton earned the win with six strong innings. The freshman held MTSU to one run on six hits and tallied seven strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Offensively, the Commodores scored in each of the first four innings and clubbed three home runs. Vanderbilt’s 93 homers this season are second most in program history as the team chases the 2019 squad which hit a program-record 100 home runs.
Vanderbilt jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Ryker Waite hit the second pitch he saw to right for a single. Waite broke for second as Mike Mancini lined a double to the gap in left-center, scoring Waite all the way from first.
Vandy loaded the bases and grabbed a second run on a sac fly by Colin Barczi.
Tommy Goodin led off the bottom of the second with a rocket to left-center for his 10th home run of the season, giving the Dores a 3-o advantage.
MTSU got on the board with a solo homer in the top of the third by Clay Badylak.
Braden Holcomb singled to start thing off in the home half of the third. Logan Johnstone worked a walk and Colin Barczi followed with a three-run blast to left to make it a 6-1 game.
Vandy’s third homer of the day came in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Brodie Johnston. Waite led off the inning with a single and Mancini laced a double off the wall in left. After a pitching change, Johnston launched his 14th long ball to put the Dores in front 9-1.
Nate Taylor, Nate Schlote and Alex Kranzler took on one inning each after Hamilton’s exit. Vanderbilt’s pitchers didn’t allow a walk and held the Blue Raiders to seven hits.
Vanderbilt improves to 27-19 on the season and heads to No. 24 Alabama for a three-game series beginning Thursday.
