NASHVILLE (Interstat) — The Vanderbilt Commodores used a six-run first inning to seize control and held off a late South Carolina Gamecocks rally for a 9-5 victory Friday afternoon at Ken Dugan Field at Stephen Lee Marsh Stadium.

Vanderbilt improved to 31-23 overall and 31-23 in Southeastern Conference play. South Carolina dropped to 22-33 and 22-33.

The Commodores trailed 5-0 after the top half of the first inning, but the scoreboard showed no such advantage for the Gamecocks. South Carolina went down in order in the top of the first, with Will Evans striking out, Ethan Bak flying out to left and Anthony Lizama flying out to center.

In the bottom half, Vanderbilt sent 11 batters to the plate and capitalized on two Gamecocks errors. Shortstop Ryker Waite reached on a throwing error by South Carolina shortstop Gavin Scobey. Austin Mancini then bunted for a single, moving Waite to second. Brady Johnston singled through the left side, driving in Waite for an unearned run. After a flyout, Braden Holcomb singled to shortstop, scoring Mancini. Connor Goodin singled to center, plating Johnston. Jace Rigdon singled to center, scoring Holcomb. Anthony Maldonado singled to left, loading the bases. Luke Reynolds reached on a fielder’s choice, bringing in Goodin. Reynolds then stole second, and Rigdon stole home, giving Vanderbilt a 6-0 lead.

Vanderbilt added a run in the third. Maldonado doubled down the left line and scored on Waite’s double down the same line, making it 7-0.

South Carolina began its comeback in the fourth. Bak singled, but Lizama grounded into a double play. Jagger LeCroy doubled down the left line, and Wally Randolph walked. Scobey then doubled to right center, scoring LeCroy and Randolph. Cole Harman reached on a throwing error by third baseman AJ Maldonado, moving Scobey to third. With one out, Jayden Craddock singled to left center, scoring Scobey, trimming the deficit to 7-3.

The Gamecocks struck again in the seventh. Harman walked and stole second. Craddock struck out, but Ethan Yuhasz doubled down the right field line, driving in Harman. Evans struck out, but Bak singled to right center, scoring Yuhasz, cutting the lead to 7-5.

Vanderbilt responded in the eighth. Waite doubled to left center, Mancini walked, and Johnston walked to load the bases. Reliever Josh Gregoire entered and allowed a sacrifice fly to left by Landon Johnston, scoring Waite. Holcomb then reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Mancini for an 9-5 lead.

South Carolina threatened in the ninth. Harman singled up the middle, but Craddock struck out. Yuhasz reached on a fielder’s choice, and Harman advanced to third on a throwing error by first baseman JD Jensen. Evans lined out to left, and Harman was thrown out at home by catcher AJ Maldonado to end the game.

Vanderbilt starter Tyler Baird worked 3.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out one. The Commodores used five relievers, with Wyatt Nadeau picking up the win after retiring four of five batters he faced in two scoreless innings. Matthew Shorey struck out three over two innings, recording a hold, and Brennan Seiber, Luke Guth and Ryker Waite each contributed an out.

South Carolina starter Alex Valentin took the loss, throwing five innings, allowing zero hits but four earned runs and striking out four. Zach Russell and Josh Gregoire finished the game. Holcomb led Vanderbilt with three hits and two RBIs. Goodin added two hits and an RBI, while Johnston drove in two. Waite had two hits and an RBI.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Vanderbilt 4, South Carolina 1. Interstat’s ELO system gave Vanderbilt a 70.00 percent probability to win.