Vanderbilt Commodores

Live Blog: Vanderbilt Baseball vs. Texas Tech

Vanderbilt Baseball is aiming to bounce back from yesterday's loss to TCU with a strong performance against Texas Tech.
Dylan Tovitz|
Feb 13, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; TCU vs Vanderbilt during the Shriner's Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; TCU vs Vanderbilt during the Shriner's Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Less than 18 hours after Tommy Goodin's popup to TCU Shortstop Lucas Franco stranded the tying-run at second base, Vanderbilt is back on the diamond looking to even its 2026 record.

The beauty of early-season tournament baseball is the lack of time to dwell. At the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, the schedule moves quickly, and Saturday presents another tough Big 12 matchup in Texas Tech.

Like Vanderbilt, Texas Tech is still searching for its first win of the weekend after a 10-3 loss to Oklahoma on Friday. Still, the Red Raiders bring a potent offense — led by outfield slugger Logan Hughes — and hand the ball to right-hander Lukas Pirko .

For Vanderbilt, the formula remains similar to yesterday's which, despite the loss, was a promising showing against a top-10 team. Colin Barczi and Brodie Johnston will aim to pick up where they left off at the plate, with the pair combining for seven batted balls over 100 MPH off the bat. More consistent production from the bottom of Vanderbilt's order is key if it wants to keep the pressure on opposing pitchers.

The good news for Vanderbilt? Texas Tech's bullpen struggled mightily against the Sooners, allowing nine runs in 4.1 innings of work in the season opener. If the Commodores can drive Pirko out of the game quickly, there's a path to scoring double-digit runs. Tommy Goodin replaces Mack Whitcomb into the lineup at DH, while Carter Johnstone remains at the top of the order with Mike Mancini on the bench.

Sophomore Austin Nye will get the ball for Vanderbilt, returning to the mound after a standout freshman campaign on West End in which he manned the weekday role. Saturday will be a good test to see if Nye is ready to start on Saturday's in SEC play.

First pitch between Vanderbilt and Texas Tech is set for 11:00 a.m. CST, streaming on FloSports.

Follow along here for live, inning-by-inning updates as the game rolls on.

Live Blog

FINAL: Vanderbilt 13, Texas Tech 3: After Barczi was called out on stikes, Johnston clubbed a hanging slider over the wall in left field — his second in a row and third of the season. Vanderbilt is now up to eight home runs through 17 innings of play in a Major League ballpark. Four straight walks from Goodin, Holcomb, Jensen, and Rigdon followed, and an infield single from Logan Johnstone put Vanderbilt one run away from a run-rule victory. Waite delivered on that with a single to right field, scoring Jensen and giving Vanderbilt its first win of the season.

Top 8: Vanderbilt 9, Texas Tech 3: Wyatt Nadeau, on in relief of Seiber, recorded a quick 1-2-3 inning on two groundounts and a strikeout. The tall righty showed good command of the zone, and his stuff is already one of the best on the team.

Bottom 7: Vanderbilt 9, Texas Tech 3: Rigdon struck out to begin the 7th and Logan Johnstone picked up his second hit of the day on an opposite field single. Waite and Carter Johnstone then struck out to end the seventh with the Commodores still up six.

Top 7: Vanderbilt 9, Texas Tech 3: Back out for another inning, Seiber allowed two quick baserunners before a lineout and fielder's choice. A single from Logan Hughes plated Chase Thomas, but a grounder to Johnston at third ended the frame with no further damage.

Bottom 6: Vanderbilt 9, Texas Tech 2: After a Barczi groundout, Johnston cranked a home run to dead center field off of right-hander Logan Bevis. It's Johnston's second round tripper of the season, this one traveling 418 feet. Flyouts from Goodin and Jensen with a Holcomb walk sandwiched in between ended the frame with the Commodores up seven runs.

Top 6: Vanderbilt 8, Texas Tech 2: Taking over for Baird in the sixth, Brennan Seiber and his heavy sinker induced a quick groundout before Caden Ferraro reached on a single. A bobble on a grounder to Johnston at third meant no chance at a double play, but a nice scoop from Jensen at first led to the second out of the inning. Seiber struck out Villenueve swinging to end the frame.

Bottom 5: Vanderbilt 8, Texas Tech 2: The Commodores went down in order against reliever Jordan Espinoza in the fifth after strikeouts from Logan Johnstone and Waite and a groundout from Carter Johnstone.

Top 5: Vanderbilt 8, Texas Tech 2: Freshman Tyler Baird relieved Austin Nye after the long bottom of the fourth and allowed three straight baserunners on a single and two walks. Great defense from Waite and Johnston on two straight ground balls to the middle infield led to a douple play and only one run coming across in the frame.

Bottom 4: Vanderbilt 8, Texas Tech 1: After Pirko walked Goodin to begin the frame, Holcomb roped a changeup 113.1 MPH down the left field line and over the wall for a two-run home run. Jensen struck out and Rigdon reached on a bunt single and promptly stole second base before Logan Johnstone laced a double into right field for his first RBI in a Vanderbilt uniform. With Johnstone on second, Waite drilled a high sinker over the fence in right field to put Vanderbilt up 5-1. Carter Johnstone flied out, but Barczi and Johnston reached on two straight errors by the shortstop Ryan forced Pirko out of the game. After a Goodin walk, Holcomb roped another ball down the line, clearing the bases for a run-scoring double and giving him his third, fourth, and fifth RBIs of the game. After Jensen walked, Rigdon popped out, finally ending the frame after eight runs came around to score.

Top 4: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: Finding his groove on the mound, Nye recorded his second straight 1-2-3 inning. He's set down eight straight Texas Tech hitters, mixing in his breaking balls more effectively the second time through the order.

Bottom 3: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: Waite opened the inning with a line shot to second that was snagged by a diving Villeneuve for the first out. Carter Johnstone walked before Barczi flew out to center field and Johnston grounded out to end the frame.

Top 3: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: Nye set the Red Raiders down in order in the third on a strikeout, flyout to Holcomb, and groundout to Johnstone. He's generated nine whiffs through three innings.

Bottom 2: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: The Commodores went down in order in the second, after a Jensen groundout, Rigdon strikeout, and Logan Johnstone lineout.

Top 2: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: Nye struck out Caden Ferraro looking before allowing three straight baserunners — a single to Matt Quintanar, and walks to Robin Villeneuve and Coleman Ryan. After a mound visit from Scott Brown, Nye stranded the runners on a pop-up and strikeout.

Bottom 1: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: Carter Johnstone, swinging at Pirko's first pitch, rolled it over to second base before Barczi — picking up where he left off yesterday — stroked a base hit into left field. Johnston then ripped a changeup down the left field line for a double, moving Barczi to third with one out for Goodin, who hit a looping liner to shortstop that was caught by Coleman Ryan. Holcomb grounded out to third, leaving Barczi and Johnston stranded.

Top 1: Vanderbilt 0, Texas Tech 1: After a game-losing throwing error from Barczi yesterday, Vanderbil begins today's game with more sloppy defense on a throwing error from Nye that allowed Kyeler Thompson to reach second base. A sacrifice bunt moved Thompson to third, and Connor Shouse hit a grounder to third base which Johnston tried to come home with, but Barczi couldn't handle the throw and Texas Tech takes an early 1-0 lead. Despite throwing another ball into right field, Nye escaped with no further damage.

Starting Lineups

Vanderbilt


1. 2B Carter Johnstone

2. C Colin Barczi

3. 3B Brodie Johnston

4. DH Tommy Goodin

5. CF Braden Holcomb

6. 1B Max Jensen

7. LF Rustan Rigdon

8. RF Logan Johnstone

9. SS Ryker Waite

P. Austin Nye

Texas Tech

1. CF Kyeler Thompson

2. 2B Tracer Lopez

3. RF Connor Shouse

4. LF Logan Hughes

5. 3B Linkin Garcia

6. DH Caden Ferraro

7. C Matt Quintanar

8. 1B Robin Villeneuve

9. SS Coleman Ryan

P. Lukas Pirko

Starting Pitcher Preview

Sophomore Austin Nye gets the ball for Corbin on Saturday after a stellar freshman campaign in which he pitched to a 3.55 ERA and struck out 58 batters across 15 starts. Now, a year stronger, Nye is aiming to take a leap into the weekend role for Vanderbilt. The right-hander brings a diverse pitch mix, headlined by a carry fastball that's touched 97 MPH and a fading changeup that gets significant horizontal run. With two solid breaking balls rounding out his arsenal, Nye has the ability and command to get hitters out at a high level.

For Texas Tech, junior Lukas Pirko gets the start after a treachorous 2025 season. Pirko pitched to a 7.25 ERA across 23 innings last season, but don't let that fool you. His stuff is solid, and if the righty can command it in the zone, he'll present a tough challenge a Vanderbilt lineup that was quiet at the plate outside of two hitters yesterday.

Published
Dylan Tovitz
DYLAN TOVITZ

Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.