NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt run-ruled Lipscomb 11-1 in eight innings Tuesday night at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores worked 10 walks and tallied nine hits, led by a three-hit night from Davis Diaz. Diaz, Jonathan Vastine and Alan Espinal each drove in a pair of runs.
Greysen Carter (W, 2-0) picked up his second win on the season with five strong innings. Carter allowed one run on two hits and struck out five. Bryce Cunningham got the start on the mound and struck out two of the three batters he faced. Ryan Ginther and Patrick Reilly each worked a scoreless inning.
The Commodores struck first with one run on two hits in the bottom of the first. Enrique Bradfield Jr. singled to lead things off and, after a walk and another single, scored on a fielder’s choice to give the Dores an early lead.
Alan Espinal made it 3-0 with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth. Jonathan Vastine worked a walk and Espinal launched his fourth home run on the season over the wall in left.
Bradfield kept the inning going with a one-out walk. He stole second and took third on a throwing error. He then came home on a groundout by RJ Schreck.
Lipscomb got on the board with a pair of base knocks in the top of the sixth. Alex Vergara lined a one-out double and scored on a single to left by Trace Willhoite to trim Vandy’s lead to 4-1.
Vanderbilt answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Davis Diaz singled home a run and RJ Austin worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home another, extending Vanderbilt’s lead to 6-1.
The Dores ended the contest with a five-run eighth inning to run-rule the Bisons 11-1. Bradfield started the frame with a walk and Diaz followed with a single. Bradfield came home on a groundout by Schreck.
Jack Bulger then worked a walk and Austin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Diaz would score on a wild pitch and Parker Noland followed with another walk to again load the bases. Vastine provided the big hit with a gapper to right-center, scoring a pair.
After Espinal drew Vandy’s fourth walk in the inning, JD Rogers ended the game with his first collegiate RBI. The pinch hitter lined a single into right field, scoring Noland.
Vanderbilt returns to conference action this weekend with a three-game series against Georgia at Hawkins Field. All three games will air on SEC Network+.
