NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 19 Vanderbilt secured the series over No. 5 Georgia with a 13-7 win Friday night at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores launched four home runs including two from Brodie Johnston to overpower the Bulldogs. Braden Holcomb and Colin Barczi each left the yard as well.
Johnston, Holcomb and Barczi combined for seven hits and 12 RBI in the win. Johnston finished 3-for-5 while Holcomb turned in a 4-for-4 night.
Vanderbilt opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. After a one-out Braden Holcomb single, Barczi blasted his fifth home run of the season to open up a 2-0 lead.
Barczi’s rocket over the wall in left measured 439 feet and registered an exit velocity of 110 mph.
The Commodores piled on in the bottom of the third with a one-out single by Jonathan Vastine followed by a Riley Nelson walk to put two on base for Johnston.
Johnston, who hit the game-tying homer in Thursday’s win, made it 5-0 with a three-run shot to left-center.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, a bank of stadium lights went out, leading to a 51-minute delay in the game.
After the stoppage, Georgia cut Vandy’s lead to two with a three-run homer in the top of the fourth. Georgia loaded the bases but Alex Kranzler entered the game on the mound and got a big strikeout to end the threat.
Nelson worked a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth and moved to second on a wild pitch before coming around to score on a double by Johnston. Johnston took third on a wild pitch and scored on a Holcomb single to give Vandy a 7-3 lead.
Vandy pulled away in the sixth with a six-run frame. RJ Austin reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. After a Vastine walk, Riley Nelson ripped a double, scoring Austin.
Johnston then clubbed his second homer of the game and third of the series to make it 11-3.
Rustan Rigdon worked a walk as the inning continued and Holcomb sent another ball over the wall in left, Vandy’s fourth of the game.
Georgia avoided the run-rule with four runs in the top of the seventh, but Miller Green kept the score at 13-7 with 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the game.
Vanderbilt improves to 29-10 (10-7 SEC) on the season and 21-3 at Hawkins Field. The Commodores go for the sweep over Georgia on Saturday at 2 p.m.
