NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt collected a 5-3 win over South Carolina to sweep the series Saturday at Hawkins Field.
After falling behind 3-0, Vanderbilt stormed back in the bottom of the fourth with a five-run frame capped by a go-ahead, three-run homer by Ryker Waite.
The Commodores used six pitchers in the win with Jacob Faulkner getting the start and tossing four innings. Faulkner held the Gamecocks to two earned runs on four hits.
Aiden Stillman, Nate Schlote, Miller Green, Brennan Seiber and Alex Kranzler worked one inning each with Kranzler earning the save. Vanderbilt’s staff did not surrender a base hit after the second inning.
South Carolina scored first with four hits and an error in the top of the second, plating three runs.
The Commodore offense came alive in the fourth with a leadoff single from Logan Johnstone. Braden Holcomb laced a double to put runners on second and third. Both Johnstone and Holcomb came home on consecutive groundouts as Vandy pulled with a run.
The inning continued with a two-out walk to Chris Maldonado and a single by Korbin Reynolds. Waite then belted a no-doubter over the wall in right to give Vanderbilt a 5-3 advantage and the Vandy bullpen did the rest.
Vanderbilt finished the regular season 32-24 with a 14-16 record in conference action. The Commodores will travel to Hoover, Alabama, to compete in the SEC Tournament. Vanderbilt is the No. 12 seed in this year’s bracket and will face 13-seed Kentucky at approximately 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
