NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After facing an early deficit, the Vanderbilt baseball team scored 11 unanswered runs en route to a 11-3 victory over cross-town foe Lipscomb on Tuesday evening at Hawkins Field.
The victory marks the Commodores’ 21st consecutive victory in the midweek — a streak that dates to March 2019. With the win Vanderbilt improved to 16-3 on the season.
Lipscomb leaped onto the scoreboard behind a lead-off double followed by a passed ball and a wild pitch. Two batters later, the Bisons connected on a solo shot to right, doubling the lead to 2-0, before adding a third run after 2 1/2.
In the home half of the third, the Commodores countered by plating four to take the lead in an inning where they nearly batted around. Vanderbilt got onto the board thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Enrique Bradfield Jr., another bases-loaded free pass to Carter Young, a fielder’s choice to second base and a Jack Bulger RBI single down the third base side.
Jayson Gonzalez’s two RBI single to center field and a towering two-run Isaiah Thomas home run to left center upped the Commodore cushion to five in the fifth frame.
Two-run RBI courtesy of @gonzalezjay40 gives the Dores a 3️⃣ run lead. #VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/PkOJMz52b0
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 24, 2021
An inning later, Parker Noland increased the lead by three with a home run of his own to left field with two strikes and two outs to put the game firmly out of reach for Lipscomb.
WHAT. A. SHOT. 🚀
IT sends one soaring for a two-run home run.#VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/ktjplMWsCN
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 24, 2021
Bradfield Jr., Cooper Davis, Noland and Thomas fueled the Vanderbilt offense with two hits apiece and Noland led the Dores with three runs batted in.
Christian Little, the evening’s starter, fanned three Bisons batters and allowed all three runs – but only two of them earned – in three innings of work. Coming on in relief for a combined four innings, Patrick Reilly and Sam Hliboki struck out four to quell any hope of a Lipscomb comeback. Reilly’s three Ks were instrumental in getting the win.
Vanderbilt will hit the road for the first time in SEC play this weekend when they will visit the Missouri Tigers for a three-game set. The series will get underway at 6 p.m. CT Thursday with the game being broadcasted nationally on SEC Network.
