LOS ANGELES – Second-ranked Vanderbilt received a bases-loaded, five-pitch walk from freshman Carter Young to walk off No. 22 TCU 4-3 Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Southern California College Baseball Classic from Dedeaux Field.
The Commodores (12-5), who dropped a pair of one-run affairs in their opening two games, entering the ninth inning tied at 3-3. Freshman Spencer Jones, an Encinitas, California native, swatted a double into left and stood at third after Parker Noland (fielder’s choice) and Harrison Ray (walk) reached.
With no outs and the bases loaded, Young watched two balls miss outside before TCU (11-4) replaced Drew Hill with sidewinder Haylen Green. On his third pitch, the southpaw could not connect as Jones raced home for the Commodores second walk-off in five games.
A 📸 finish! 🙌#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/tlRFvyC5Ur
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 8, 2020
Vanderbilt found itself trailing 3-1 in the fifth after the Horned Frogs capitalized on three Jack Leiter walks to chase the starter from the game. The Commodores answered immediately in the home half, highlighted by an Isaiah Thomas two-run double to score Cooper Davis (bunt single) and Young (single).
Commodore reliever Thomas Schultz limited the Horned Frogs to three hits across 3.1 scoreless innings. The right-hander, who walked two and struck out four, stranded the bases loaded with strikeouts to cap the fifth and seventh innings.
Closer Tyler Brown (1-2) earned the win, tossing a hitless ninth inning while striking out one and walking another. Leiter tossed 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs while walking four and fanning as many.
Vanderbilt made the most of its six hits with Davis (2-for-4) pacing the way while scoring twice at the top of the order. Dominic Keegan (1-for-3) reached base twice while Justyn-Henry Malloy (0-for-3) drew a bases-loaded walk to start the Commodore scoring in the fourth.
TCU starter Russell Smith struck out nine and allowed five hits and three runs while walking one across five innings. Drew Hill (2-1) permitted three free passes and a run in the loss. The Horned Frogs collected seven hits including a pair from Tommy Sacco (2-for-4) who reached base three times.
Vanderbilt begins a stretch of 13 consecutive games in the state of Tennessee when it opens a four-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday against Toledo. Outfield tickets are available for $7 and infield seats are priced at $16. The contest can be seen on SEC Network Plus and heard on WNSR 560 AM/95.9 FM.
