Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Rises in Rankings After Stealing a Win from Alabama

The Commodores scored five runs in the final two innings against the Crimson Tide in Sunday's series finale, sending Vanderbilt up in the rankings and Alabama nearly out of the top 25.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt's JD Thompson (22) is congratulated by teammates after striking out a batter during their game against Alabama at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, May 2, 2025.
Vanderbilt's JD Thompson (22) is congratulated by teammates after striking out a batter during their game against Alabama at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, May 2, 2025. | Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt pulled off an incredible comeback win Sunday to steal a series win away from Alabama that may have secured the Commodores’ place as a NCAA Regional host.

The Commodores (34-14, 14-10 SEC) moved up in both the D1Baseball and Baseball America Top 25 Rankings on Monday morning. With a No. 3 RPI ranking, four ranked games in final seven, and owning a series sweep over the new No. 1 team in the nation (Georgia) would make it seem Vanderbilt would need to have a lot happen to fall outside the top 16 national teams.

The Commodores find themselves ranked No. 11 in both the D1Baseball and Baseball America’s poll. Here’s Baseball America said about the Commodores:

“After stumbling last weekend at Ole Miss, Vanderbilt bounced back with a key ranked series win over then-No. 23 Alabama. The Commodores opened the weekend with a run-rule win, dropped the middle game, then trailed 7-2 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of Sunday’s finale. Staring down another tough series loss, their bats came alive. Braden Holcomb and Mac Rose both homered in a three-run eighth inning, then freshman Brodie Johnston delivered a game-tying two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Holcomb then hammered a walk-off, two run home run, his second in as many innings. On Friday, southpaw JD Thompson collected 11 strikeouts across seven shutout innings. Vanderbilt now faces a gauntlet of a week, traveling to No. 19 Louisville before a weekend series at No. 13 Tennessee.”

Here are the complete top 25 rankings released Monday morning:

D1 Baseball Top 25 Rankings

  1. Texas (38-8)
  2. Florida State (33-10)
  3. LSU (38-11)
  4. North Carolina (35-10)
  5. Oregon (33-13)
  6. Georgia (39-11)
  7. Arkansas (40-9)
  8. Auburn (33-15)
  9. Clemson (37-12)
  10. Oregon State (34-12)
  11. Vanderbilt (34-14)
  12. West Virginia (39-7)
  13. UC Irvine (34-11)
  14. Coastal Carolina (37-11)
  15. Tennessee (37-11)
  16. NC State (30-15)
  17. Oklahoma (32-14)
  18. UCLA (34-13)
  19. Troy (34-14)
  20. Louisville (32-15)
  21. Southern Miss (35-13)
  22. Arizona (33-14)
  23. Alabama (36-12)
  24. Ole Miss (33-15)
  25. Southern California (32-15)

Baseball America Top 25 Rankings

  1. Georgia (39-11)
  2. Texas (38-8)
  3. Arkansas (40-9)
  4. North Carolina (35-10)
  5. Auburn (33-15)
  6. LSU (38-11)
  7. Florida State (33-10)
  8. Coastal Carolina (37-11)
  9. West Virginia (39-7)
  10. Oregon (33-13)
  11. Vanderbilt (34-14)
  12. Clemson (37-12)
  13. Tennessee (37-11)
  14. Troy (34-14)
  15. Oregon State (34-12)
  16. Oklahoma (32-14)
  17. UC Irvine (34-11)
  18. Ole Miss (33-15)
  19. Louisville (32-15)
  20. Dallas Baptist (33-13)
  21. NC State (30-15)
  22. Florida (33-16)
  23. Arizona (33-14)
  24. UCLA (34-13)
  25. Alabama (36-12)

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

Published
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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