BY HAILEY CHAPMAN
OMAHA, Neb. — The Commodores are continuing to show their dominance in the 2019 College World Series with wins over Louisville and Mississippi State. Vanderbilt is one of two remaining teams who are undefeated in the tournament, alongside Michigan.
In their first game of World Series play, Vanderbilt topped Louisville 3-1. Starting the game off with a bomb over the left field fence, Austin Martin lead the way for the Commodores.
The Commodores had hit a mid-game lull, allowing Louisville to capitalize on an RBI single up the middle to tie it up a one.
Back up to bat in the bottom of the seventh, Martin once again went yard with a two-run no doubter to put Vanderbilt on top.
Drake Fellows was efficient on the mound in seven innings of work, allowing seven hits, one walk, six strikeouts and only one earned run. Teammates Zach King and Tyler Brown helped combine for the close.
In their second round of play, Vanderbilt slugged past Mississippi State 6-3 to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Stephen Scott was the first to put up a run for the Commodores, going deep to right field to take the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, JJ Bleday provided an RBI double to move Vanderbilt up 2-0 despite Mississippi State’s stellar defense.
The rally did not end their, as Scott went the distance for the second time with a three-run homer to put Vanderbilt up by six runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, Mississippi’s Marshall Gilbert responded with a solo shot of his own to put them on the board, followed by two RBI doubles to make the score 6-3.
A combined outing from freshman star Kumar Rocker and closer Tyler Brown was enough to keep the Commodores undefeated in CWS play. Rocker ended the day with six innings pitched, boasting six strikeouts alongside five hits, one walk and an earned run. Patrick Raby ran into trouble after Mississippi rallied against him for half an inning, but Brown was able to silence their offense with two consecutive strikeouts to end the game.
Vanderbilt is the No. 2 overall seed and will face the winner of Louisville vs. Mississippi State, two familiar faces who are coming back with a vengeance. The Commodores knocked both of those teams into a Thursday elimination game, and the winner of that game will play Vanderbilt on Friday for the right to advance to the championship series.
Current powerhouse in the College World Series, Vanderbilt’s offense is led by Austin Martin (.409), JJ Bleday (.358), and Stephen Scott (.335). Bleday leads the team with 26 home runs on the season.
Mason Hickman is the statistical leader for the pitching staff with an ERA of 2.23 and a record of 8-0. Closely following is Tyler Brown, the closer, at 2.36, and Drake Fellows with a record of 13-1.