Vanderbilt Commodores

No. 18 Vanderbilt Records 17 Strikeouts in Win Over Xavier

Commodore pitchers Cody Bowker and Sawyer Hawks combined to allow just one hit and two walks in Sunday's series finale against Xavier.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt secured a 4-0 win Sunday against Xavier with a stellar pitching performance from the Commodores.
Vanderbilt secured a 4-0 win Sunday against Xavier with a stellar pitching performance from the Commodores. | Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt is less than a week away from its first conference games in stacked SEC and Sunday’s result should be a beacon hope for the Commodores.

The Commodores’ pitching duo of Cody Bowker and Hawks combined for 17 strikeouts and allowed just one hit and two walks in a full nine innings of work against Xavier as Vanderbilt earned the series sweep with a 4-0 win.

Bowker (2-1) held the Musketeers to just one hit through six innings while striking out 10 batters and giving up two walks. Sawyer Hawks pitched a perfect final three innings to earn his first save of the season and didn’t allow any hits or walks while striking out seven batters to secure the 4-0 win.

The Commodores didn’t require much from its offense, but the bats came through in the first half of the game.

Mac Rose scored the game’s first run when hit into a bases-loaded double play that scored Isaac Humphrey in the third inning. Vanderbilt scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rustan Rigdon drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice, followed by Humphrey driving in a run on a ground out. Jonathan Vastine capped off the scoring with a two-out RBI single to left field to score Rigdon and give Vanderbilt enough of a lead to secure the win.

Vanderbilt (13-3) will return to action against Valparaiso at Hawkins Field on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. on SECN+. After that midweek game, the Commodores will begin SEC play on the road against No. 22 Auburn (12-3) with a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.

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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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