Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt's Offense Sputters Again in Loss to Ole Miss

The Commodores were riding high after last weekend's series sweep, but now have to fight to avoid being swept themselves and going 0-4 this week.
Taylor Hodges|
Colin Barczi
Colin Barczi | @VandyBoys on Basebal

No. 9 Vanderbilt has fallen pretty far from the highs of sweeping then-No. 3 Georgia last week.

The Commodores lost to Middle Tennessee on Tuesday and struggled to do much at the plate in Friday’s loss to No. 23 Ole Miss. Saturday wouldn’t see any different either with Ole Miss claiming the series win with a 7-1 win.

The Rebels held the Commodores to just five hits and exploded for six runs in the fourth inning that was too much for Vanderbilt’s struggling bats to overcome.

Of the five Vanderbilt hits Saturday, none of them drove in the team’s lone run. That run was scored in typical-Vanderbilt style. RJ Austin led off the second inning with an infield single and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, he stole third and then stole home run without relying on a wild pitch or passed ball.

The only other time the Commodores would mount a serious scoring threat was with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. They took advantage of a couple Ole Miss fielding errors and walk to load the bases for Colin Barczi, who has had some late-game magic for Vanderbilt, but ended the game with a swinging strikeout.

Cody Bowker looked like he was on course for another great outing. He struck out six batters in the first three innings. But once the Rebels drew blood in the fourth inning, the bleeding didn’t stop.

Isaac Humphrey drove in the first run when he was by a pitch in a bases-loaded situation. Austin Fawley made it 3-1 with a two-run single to center field. Ryan Moerman would clear the bases with a home run to left, center field and Luke Cheng’s single in the next at-bat forced Vanderbilt to make a pitching change.

Matthew Shorey was able to get out of the inning without any more runs scored, but the Rebels’ 6-1 lead was more than enough to beat the Commodores.

Vanderbilt and Ole Miss will wrap up their three-game series Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The game will be televised on SECN+.

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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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