LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt claimed the series over Kentucky with a 13-6 win Sunday at Kentucky Proud Park.
The Commodores trailed early but a go-ahead grand slam by Will Hampton in the sixth inning and a six-run ninth inning secured the victory on the road.
Hampton, who made his first collegiate start on Sunday, reached base in all four plate appearances and his grand slam was also his first career home run. He finished 2-for-2 on the day with four RBI.
Aiden Stillman picked up the win, his second of the season, and Tyler Baird held Kentucky scoreless over the final 1.2 innings for earn his fourth save.
The Wildcats loaded the bases in the second and took advantage as a hit-by-pitch and a walk brought the game’s first two runs home.
Colin Barczi lined a double to the corner in left field in the top of the fourth. Ryker Waite then shot a two-out single into left to bring Barczi home and cut Kentucky’s lead in half.
Two walks in the bottom of the fifth led to a Kentucky RBI single as the Wildcats grabbed a 3-1 advantage.
Brodie Johnston was hit by the first pitch of the top of the sixth. Barczi then tied the game with a two-run blast to left field, his seventh home run of the season.
The frame continued with a hit-by-pitch and a walk. With two down, Vandy loaded the bases on a dropped third strike, bringing Hampton to the plate. He belted a go-ahead grand slam for his first career homer to put the Dores on top 7-3.
Kentucky got a run back on a sac fly in the home half of the inning to pull within three. The Wildcats, who had been held to just two hits through the first seven innings, scratched across two runs on four hits in the eighth to make it a one-run game going into the ninth.
Vanderbilt responded with six runs in the top of the ninth to pull away. Johnston blasted his 13th home run into the Kentucky bullpen in left field to start the inning. Barczi worked a walk and Braden Holcomb roped a double. Three straight singles by Max Jensen, Waite and Rustan Rigdon brought a pair of runs in.
With Waite on third, Korbin Reynolds laid down a safety squeeze bunt and Waite beat the throw home. Collin Brightwell was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Mike Mancini tallied an RBI with a sac fly. Reynolds then scored on a wild pitch for Vanderbilt’s sixth run of the inning.
Baird allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth but retired the next three batters to record his fourth save of the season.
With Sunday’s win, Vanderbilt improves to 24-17 (9-9 SEC) while Kentucky falls to 26-12 (8-10 SEC). The Commodores return to Nashville and will host Xavier on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Hawkins Field.
