NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson Fulmer dominated over nine innings to post his second shutout of the season in No. 9 Vanderbilt’s 2-0 win over No. 10 Florida Thursday night at Hawkins Field.
Fulmer’s night did not start off in dominating fashion with the right-hander walking the leadoff hitter to start the game. He quickly bounced back, however, with a pair of strikeouts and a caught stealing to end the frame. He worked around a leadoff single in the second, starting a double play himself to end the inning, then navigated a two-out triple by Buddy Reed in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning.
The Gators (36-14, 15-10) put pressure on the Commodores (36-14, 18-7) in the fifth when two runners reached with one out. Fulmer, however, had the answer himself striking out his fourth batter of the game then tracking down a foul pop up near the Gator dugout for the final out of the inning. Those two big outs started a streak of 11 straight retired for Fulmer that put the right-hander into the ninth inning. Back out for the ninth, Fulmer worked around a leadoff single from Josh Tobias to record his second shutout of the season and the team’s 11th of the season for the Commodores to set a new school record.
Fulmer’s shutout of Florida is his second against the Gators in two seasons. The Lakeland, Fla. native went the distance for his team-best 10th win of the season, striking out 11 and scattering six hits. Fulmer has recorded 10-plus strikeouts in five games this season and leads the Southeastern Conference with 118 strikeouts. He has also turned in eight scoreless outings this season and has started in six of the Dores’ 11 shutouts.
Vandy jumped out to an early lead, scratching out a run in the second inning. Zander Wiel led off with a double and came around to score on Tyler Campbell’s single through the left side with the bases loaded. The Commodores added insurance in the eighth inning when Will Toffey came through with a clutch single to right field on the first pitch he saw to score Rhett Wiseman from third base. Wiseman led all players with three hits in the game, singling three times in the win.
Florida starter Logan Shore took the tough-luck loss allowing one run on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts over seven innings. Ryan Larson had two of the Gators’ six hits.
The Commodores and Gators play tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Southpaw Philip Pfeifer gets the ball for the Dores against fellow lefty A.J. Puk for Florida.
