NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson Fulmer struck out a career-high 14 in his second career shutout with a 6-0 victory over Ole Miss Thursday night at Hawkins Field.
Fulmer’s night opened in grand fashion in the first inning with the right-hander striking out the side. His final two strikeouts from the first started a streak of 10 straight retired Rebels until Colby Bortles’ 2-out double snapped the streak and put a one in Ole Miss’ (16-18, 5-8) hit column. After a balk put Bortles on third, Fulmer responded with his sixth strikeout of the night to start another streak of 10 straight retired. The right-hander allowed a leadoff single in the eighth but ended the frame with two more strikeouts to runs his total to 11 and notch his third game of the season with at least 10 strikeouts. Back out for the ninth, the junior threw three straight balls to pinch hitter Joe Wainhouse to lead off the inning but battled back to get Wainhouse swinging for the first out. Fulmer finished off the game like he started it by striking out the side to end the night with a career-best 14 strikeouts in his second career shutout. The right-hander earned his team-best sixth win of the year allowing no walks and scattering just two hits.
While Fulmer was dominating with power on the mound, the Vanderbilt (28-7, 11-2) offense was flexing its muscle at the plate to build an early lead. Dansby Swanson started the show with a two-out, solo homer in the first inning and was followed by solo homers from Bryan Reynolds in the third and Rhett Wiseman to lead off the fifth. Reynolds later added a RBI-double in the seventh to score Swanson to cap the night’s scoring.
Fulmer’s shutout is his first of the season after blanking Florida last season for his only other career shutout. His 14 strikeouts are the most by a Vanderbilt pitcher since Tyler Beede struck out 14 against Xavier last season in the NCAA Regional. Fulmer’s 14 strikeouts with no walks are the most punch outs with no walks by a Vandy pitcher since Sonny Gray struck out 15 with no free passes in a complete game win over Brown in 2011. The shutout victory is the eighth of the season for Vandy.
Swanson and Reynolds led the way for the Dores with two hits and two runs each as seven different players recorded hits in the win. Vanderbilt’s three home runs match the team’s single-game high last done against Wofford on April 1.
Ole Miss starter Christian Trent took the loss allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits over 6.1 innings.
The two teams resume the series tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Walker Buehler gets the ball for the Commodores against Rebels’ right-hander Brady Bramlett.
