NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 4 Vanderbilt evened the series against No. 6 South Carolina with an 8-5 win at Hawkins Field Saturday afternoon.
The Dores rallied from an early 4-0 deficit, scoring eight unanswered runs. RJ Austin, Jack Bulger and RJ Schreck drove in two runs each and Schreck and Bulger both homered in the win.
Patrick Reilly (W, 2-1) came on in relief in the fourth inning and threw four scoreless frames to earn the win. Reilly struck out six and only gave up one hit.
South Carolina took advantage of four walks and a hit-by-pitch in the top of the first to push four runs across on two hits. Greysen Carter took over on the mound and held South Carolina hitless and scoreless over 2.1 innings.
Vanderbilt pulled back within one in the bottom of the third with back-to-back home runs. Schreck left the yard for a two-run blast to center, his team-leading ninth homer on the season. Bulger followed with a solo shot to left-center to make it a 4-3 game.
Schreck smash 💪#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/Kfquxn2XuQ
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 15, 2023
BACK-TO-BACK HOMERS AT THE HAWK 😤#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/MkvOrIOg6K
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 15, 2023
The Commodores pulled ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Vastine led off with a double and Enrique Bradfield Jr. reached on a walk. After a sac bunt moved the pair over, Vastine scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Schreck was hit by a pitch and Bulger walked to load the bases with one out. RJ Austin then singled to center to score Bradfield and put the Commodores on top.
The Commodores extended their lead with a three-run seventh. Diaz reached on an error and Schreck drew another walk. Bulger singled home Diaz and then successfully executed a double steal with Schreck to put runners on second and third with one out.
💪 💪 💪#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/6BhmPiTRSP
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) April 15, 2023
Austin brought in Schreck with an infield single and Bulger scored on a sac fly by Chris Maldonado to put Vandy up by four.
South Carolina got a run back in the top of the ninth on a solo home run with two outs, but Nick Maldonado, who threw the final two innings for Vandy, got his fourth strikeout to end the game.
Vanderbilt (28-7, 12-2 SEC) and South Carolina (30-5, 10-3 SEC) decide the series at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hawkins Field with action airing on SEC Network+.
