NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Vanderbilt smacked four home runs including two from senior Julian Infante en route to capturing the NCAA Nashville Regional with a 12-1 victory against Indiana State on Sunday night at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores, who advance to play Duke in the NCAA Super Regionals next weekend, set a single-season school record 87 home runs. Infante put Vanderbilt (52-10) ahead with a solo homer in the fifth and deposited a two-out dinger into left center for insurance an inning later.
Vanderbilt scored five times on four hits in the sixth with the biggest coming off the bat of Ty Duvall. The junior smoked the fourth pitch from new reliever Tyler Grauer into right for a grand slam while lifting the Commodores to a five-run advantage.
Philip Clarke knotted the game with a no-doubt home run to lead off the fourth and lined a run-scoring triple into the left-center gap in the seventh. The Commodores scored in four straight frames between the fourth and seventh while collecting 10 hits during the stretch.
Right-hander Mason Hickman (8-0) limited Indiana State to 0-for-8 (.000) with runners aboard and limited leadoff batters to 1-for-7 (.143). The sophomore permitted just three hits and one run in seven innings while striking out nine and walking a pair.
Indiana State closed its season at 43-18 overall. The Sycamores received a steady outing from right-hander Zach Frey, who was making just his fifth appearance of the season. The junior held the Dores to one run in 3.1 innings but the bullpen could not limit the damage.
Vanderbilt is advancing to its eighth super regional in the last 10 seasons. Ticket availability for the impending NCAA Nashville Super Regional will be determined after season ticket holder and National Commodore Club member deposits are filled.
NCAA Nashville Regional All-Tournament Team
Shane Selman – McNeese – OF
Payton Harden – McNeese – OF
Conner Pohl – Ohio State – 1B
Andrew Magno – Ohio State – P
Jake Means – Indiana State – 3B
Clay Dungan – Indiana State – SS
CJ Huntley – Indiana State – OF
Austin Martin – Vanderbilt – 3B
Kumar Rocker – Vanderbilt – P
Drake Fellows – Vanderbilt – P
Julian Infante – Vanderbilt – 1B – MVP
