NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt defeated Indiana 13-5 at Hawkins Field on Tuesday night and will carry a 10-game win streak into SEC Opening Weekend.
The Dores scored eight runs in the first two innings, including six in the first, and totaled 12 hits on the night.
RJ Austin, who led the Vandy offense with three hits, led off the bottom of the first with a double and switched places with Davis Diaz who also doubled, scoring Austin for the game’s first run.
Alan Espinal and Jayden Davis then hit back-to-back singles with Diaz coming home on the Davis base knock. Troy LaNeve scored both Espinal and Davis on a single through the right side and after Matthew Polk was hit by a pitch, Logan Poteet drove a single up the middle to score LaNeve.
The Commodores scored a sixth run on a Calvin Hewett groundout, the first out of the frame.
Austin led off the bottom of the second and tallied another hit. Espinal then crushed a one-out home run to left-center, his team-leading fourth on the season.
This guy doesn’t stop 😅 pic.twitter.com/4e95i0uJni
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 12, 2024
Indiana got on the board in the top of the fourth, cutting Vanderbilt 8-0 lead in half with a four-run frame on two hits and two errors.
The Commodores responded with four runs of their own in the home half of the fourth to go in front 12-4. Three consecutive walks by Diaz, Espinal and Davis loaded the bases with one out for LaNeve, who picked up an RBI on a groundout. Espinal then scored on a wild pitch and Polk launched his third home run on the season to score two more.
Polky sent that one to the stands ☄️ pic.twitter.com/dtrRMVL90Q
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 13, 2024
Austin’s third hit came in the bottom of the seventh. Jonathan Vastine singled and took second on a wild pitch before scoring on a rope to center field by Austin.
Indiana got a run back in the top of the eighth but Vanderbilt would go on to win 13-5. Vandy used five arms in the win. JD Thompson went four innings and struck out six batters while allowing one earned run on three hits.
Sawyer Hawks pitched a scoreless fifth inning and picked up the win. Andrew Dutkanych IV, Sam Hliboki and Miller Green got the Dores to the ninth inning where David Horn Jr. made his season debut and held Indiana scoreless.
LaNeve led the Vandy offense with three RBI. Polk and Espinal drove in two runs each.
The Commodores (15-3) open SEC play this weekend against No. 18 Auburn at Hawkins Field. All three games will stream live on SEC Network +.
