Texas at Vanderbilt
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Luke Harrison pitched 4 1/3 innings of no-hit relief and the Texas Longhorns defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 4-3 in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon at Ken Dugan Field at Stephen Lee Marsh Stadium.
Texas won its second game in the three-game Southeastern Conference series, improving to 32-9 overall. Vanderbilt fell to 26-19.
Harrison, making his first appearance since a loss to Alabama on April 19, surrendered one earned run while striking out seven and walking none. He did not allow a hit. Samuel Cozart followed with three innings of one-hit relief, striking out five, and Brett Crossland worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Haiden Leffew added a scoreless inning.
The Longhorns took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. After a hit batter and a single, Vanderbilt starter Wyatt Nadeau surrendered a two-run double to Chris Holcomb that scored two unearned runs. Texas answered in the fourth when Jared Pack Jr. doubled and scored on a double by Max Rodriguez. Adrian Mendoza followed with an RBI single, giving Texas a 3-2 lead.
Nadeau allowed two earned runs on four hits over six innings, striking out three.
The game turned in the eighth inning. Texas added a run on a sacrifice fly by Mendoza, pushing the lead to 4-2. Vanderbilt tied the game in the bottom half when Brody Rigdon doubled to right field, scoring pinch-runner Jackson Sears, and later scored on a double play groundout.
The game remained tied until the 10th. Texas loaded the bases on a hit batter, a walk and a hit by pitch. With two outs, Evan Becerra walked to force in the go-ahead run. Vanderbilt reliever Jacob Faulkner entered and struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Vanderbilt had a chance in the bottom of the 10th. After a single and a hit batter, a balk moved both runners into scoring position. But Texas’s Cozart struck out the final two batters to end the game.
Texas grounded into two double plays. Vanderbilt outhit Texas 8-5.
The Longhorns entered the series after losing the opener 6-0 but bounced back with Sunday’s win. Vanderbilt had won the series opener 6-0 on Saturday.
Texas hosts Sam Houston on Tuesday before a home series against Mississippi State. Vanderbilt hosts Middle Tennessee on Tuesday before traveling to Alabama.
Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Texas 8, Vanderbilt 7 and the ELO system gave Texas a 50.60 percent probability to win.