NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A terrific outing from starting pitcher JD Thompson and an explosive night for the Vanderbilt offense led to an eight-inning, 12-2 victory over Alabama on Friday night at Hawkins Field.
Thompson registered 11 strikeouts over seven shutout innings. He allowed just two hits after taking a no-hit bid into the fourth inning. In his last two starts at Hawkins Field, the southpaw has surrendered one run over 15.0 innings with 25 strikeouts to just three walks. Both starts came against ranked opponents in No. 5 Georgia and No. 18 Alabama.
Vanderbilt’s pitching staff has totaled double-digit strikeouts in 11 consecutive games.
Thompson was locked in a pitchers’ duel until the bottom of the sixth when the Commodore offense broke through.
RJ Austin and Riley Nelson each singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Brodie Johnston put Vandy on the board with a single to left, scoring Austin from second.
After a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners, Mac Rose laid down a bunt single to score Nelson from third. With two outs, Jonathan Vastine knocked a single to right, bringing home Braden Holcomb for a 3-0 lead.
The Dores pushed three more runs across on four hits in the bottom of the seventh. After a leadoff triple by Rustan Rigdon, Austin ripped a line drive into left to plate Vandy’s fourth run of the game. Austin went first to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a double in the left-center gap by Johnston.
Holcomb made it a 6-0 game with a double off the wall in left, scoring Johnston.
The Crimson Tide got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to cut Vandy’s lead to four, but the Commodores responded by ending the game in the home half of the inning with a six-spot on the scoreboard.
The eighth started with a single by Vastine and a walk to Rigdon. Austin then clubbed his second home run on the season, a three-run blast to left.
Three consecutive walks loaded the bases for pinch hitter Jayden Davis. Davis lined a single up the middle to score a pair of runs. With the bases still full, Mike Mancini pushed Vandy’s lead to 10 runs with a walk to end the game at 12-2.
Austin finished with four RBI on a four-hit night. Johnston drove in two runs, going 3-for-4.
After taking Sunday’s finale at Ole Miss in seven innings, Vanderbilt has run-rule wins in back-to-back SEC games. The Dores scored a combined 25 runs on 32 hits in those two contests.
No. 15 Vanderbilt and No. 18 Alabama continue the series Saturday at 2 p.m. Vandy improves to 13-9 in the SEC while Alabama falls to 12-10.
