Vanderbilt Commodores

No. 17 Vanderbilt Avenges 2024 Upset Loss to Dayton

The Commodores' pitchers recorded 14 strikeouts in Tuesday night's 9-2 victory against the Flyers.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt Commodores pitcher Austin Nye (20) delivers a pitch to a Air Force Falcons batter at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. The Commodores beat the Falcons 3-1.
Vanderbilt Commodores pitcher Austin Nye (20) delivers a pitch to a Air Force Falcons batter at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. The Commodores beat the Falcons 3-1. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last season, Dayton came into Hawkins Field and scored seven runs in one inning to pull off a big upset against Vanderbilt.

The Commodores returned the favor Tuesday night, scoring six runs in one inning at Hawkins Field in a 9-2 victory. The Flyers had scored seven runs in the eighth inning of last year’s game to win 8-5 and the Commodores made sure there wouldn’t be a repeat this year.

A big third inning at the plate was all the Commodores needed Tuesday night. Dayton had gotten on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning and made a pitching change to start the bottom half of the inning, bringing in James Heller for starter Hector Escobar.

The change didn’t work for the Flyers. Heller loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single before hitting Brodie Johnston with a pitch and the bases loaded for Vanderbilt’s first run.

Mac Rose added two more runs with single through the right side of the infield and the Flyers made another pitching change, replacing Heller with Jackson Judy but the Commodores continued to score runs. Chris Maldonado records the first out on a sacrifice fly and Jacob Humphrey capped off the scoring with a two-run single.

Vanderbilt added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when the Commodores drew four consecutive walks, three of which were with the bases loaded.

Dayton added a run in the fifth inning with Ryan MacDougall hitting a solo home run to right center field, but the Flyers would go scoreless the rest of the game.

Austin Nye picked up his second win of the season, pitching three innings and allowing one run on three hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Ethan McElvain made up for his role in last year’s Dayton upset, striking out three batters in two innings of work and also one run on one hit.

Vanderbilt will hit the road again for its next SEC series against No. 19 Oklahoma. Game one of the series is set for 7 p.m. Friday on SEC Network. Game two will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday and the series finale at 2 p.m. Sunday.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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