Vandy Takes the Series

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt clinched the series over Texas A&M with a 3-1 win at Hawkins Field on Friday night.

JD Thompson was electric on the mound, reaching 10 strikeouts for the second time this season. Thompson held the Aggies to one run on five hits with no walks. The southpaw struck out the final five batters he faced.

Vanderbilt and Texas A&M were tied at 1-1 after the second inning. The Aggies used a solo homer to get on the board in the top half and Vanderbilt answered with a run in the home half on a Braden Holcomb RBI groundout.

Thompson was relieved with one out in the seventh as Tommy O’Rourke took over. O’Rourke struck out the final two batters in the inning to keep the game at 1-1.

Riley Nelson hit a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh, his second double on the night. Colin Barczi then delivered the big hit, an RBI double to the right-center gap to score the go-ahead run.

With two outs, Braden Holcomb fell behind to 0-2 in the count before lining a single up the middle to bring home Barczi and make it 3-1, Vanderbilt.

Miller Green came on to pitch in the eighth and retired the side. Green stayed in to close out the game in the ninth. Texas A&M worked a two-out walk and the next batter ripped a base hit into the left-center gap, but RJ Austin fired the ball to second and threw out the runner trying to take two to end the ballgame.

Vandy’s pitchers finished with 16 strikeouts for the second consecutive game. The Commodores entered the contest averaging 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings, sixth best rate in NCAA Division I baseball.

Vanderbilt (18-5, 3-2 SEC) improves to 14-0 at home this season. The Aggies fall to 11-11, 0-4 in SEC play. The series finale is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at Hawkins Field.