NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt took down Louisville, 12-6, on Tuesday in the annual Battle of the Barrel at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores scored 11 unanswered runs after trailing 4-0 in the first inning. The offense finished with 11 hits while six pitchers combined to register 14 strikeouts. Mike Mancini homered twice as the Commodores reached 100 home runs on the season, matching the program record set in 2019.
Louisville hit a grand slam in the top of the first to take an early lead. The Dores got a run back in the home half of the opening frame on an RBI single by Logan Johnstone.
Johnstone went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the win.
The Dores struck for four runs in the third to take a 5-4 lead. Vandy loaded the bases before Johnstone drove in a run with a sac fly. Colin Barczi then blasted a go-ahead, three-run shot to put Vanderbilt in front by a run.
After a lightning delay in the top of the fourth that lasted a little over an hour, the Commodores took control of the contest with a five-run frame in the bottom of the fourth.
Tommy Goodin hit a leadoff double and Korbin Reynolds was hit by a pitch. Ryker Waite was also hit to load the bases and Mancini drew a walk to bring home Goodin.
Brodie Johnston, Braden Holcomb and Johnstone then hit three consecutive RBI singles and Barczi added a sac fly as the Dores took a commanding 10-4 lead.
Mancini hit his first of two homers in the bottom of the fifth to make it 11-4.
The Cardinals hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh, but Mancini belted his second long ball of the night in the home half of the seventh to put Vandy up 12-6.
On the mound, Matthew Shorey made his season debut after suffering an injury in the preseason. Shorey needed just 13 pitches to strike out the side in the top of the third en route to earning his first win of 2026.
Vanderbilt improves to 28-22 and will head to Missouri this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday.
