NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt opened the series against South Carolina with a 9-1 win Thursday night at Hawkins Field.
Connor Fennell got the start on the mound and turned in 6.1 strong innings. Fennell earned the win, his fourth of the season, and held South Carolina to one run on four hits while striking out seven.
The Commodore offense provided Fennell more than enough run support, tallying nine runs on 14 hits. All nine batters in the order recorded at least one hit.
Tommy Goodin went 3-for-4 in the win with an RBI and two runs scored. Ryker Waite drove in three runs on a pair of hits. Rustan Rigdon drove in a pair and scored twice on a 2-for-3 night.
After South Carolina opened the scoring in the top of the second, Vanderbilt answered with four runs in the home half. With the bases loaded, Rigdon shot a double to left to give the Dores a 2-1 lead.
A walk to Chris Maldonado loaded the bases again and Waite made it 4-1 with a two-run single.
That score would hold until the bottom of the fifth when Vandy sent nine batters to the plate, scoring four runs on four hits. Braden Holcomb, Goodin and Korbin Reynolds each recorded RBI singles in the frame and a sac fly by Waite scored Vandy’s eighth run of the evening.
Maldonado added to the lead in the bottom of the seventh with a double down the line in left that scored Rigdon from second, giving the Commodores a 9-1 advantage.
Alex Kranzler took over on the mound after Fennell’s departure in the seventh. Kranzler pitched the final 2.2 innings and did not allow a hit. The junior registered four strikeouts.
Thursday’s win marked 1,100 for head coach Tim Corbin in his career. He is six wins away from 1,000 at Vanderbilt.
The Commodores and Gamecocks will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday for the second game of the series.
