NASHVILLE (Interstat) — Vanderbilt starter Connor Hamilton pitched six strong innings and the Commodores broke open a close game with a pair of multi-run homers to defeat Middle Tennessee 9-1 on Tuesday night at Ken Dugan Field at Stephen Lee Marsh Stadium.

Hamilton, who entered with a 1-0 record and had allowed two earned runs in just one inning of work in his previous appearance April 18 at Kentucky, scattered six hits and struck out seven while surrendering only one earned run. He threw 74 pitches in earning the victory.

The Blue Raiders grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Clay Badylak homered to right field. That was the only run Hamilton would allow, and Vanderbilt answered immediately. In the bottom of the third, designated hitter Colin Barczi crushed a three-run homer to left center that scored Holcomb and L. John, putting the Commodores ahead 6-1. The inning began with a single by Holcomb and a walk to L. John. Barczi’s blast came after Holcomb advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Vanderbilt added three more runs in the fourth inning on a home run by John that scored Mike Mancini and Waite. The Commodores loaded the bases on a single by Waite and a double by Mancini before John’s three-run shot to left field made it 9-1.

Middle Tennessee finished with seven hits, but the Blue Raiders could not string together sustained offense against Hamilton and the Vanderbilt bullpen. Nate Taylor, Nate Schlote and Alex Kranzler each threw a scoreless inning of relief, with Schlote allowing one hit and Kranzler striking out one. Vanderbilt’s pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts.

The Commodores’ offense collected 10 hits, with Mancini going 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Barczi finished 1 for 3 with the home run and four RBIs, while Johnston homered and drove in three runs. Vanderbilt also grounded into three double plays, but the damage was limited.

Middle Tennessee used five pitchers. Starter Bryant Beranek threw two innings, allowing no hits and one earned run while striking out one. Walker Shaw, Landon Sexton and Kerrigan Co each tossed an inning of scoreless relief. Sexton struck out one.

The Blue Raiders dropped to 22-23 overall, while Vanderbilt improved to 27-19. Middle Tennessee will host Western Kentucky for a three-game series starting Friday, while Vanderbilt travels to Alabama for a Thursday-through-Saturday series.

The game’s turning point came in the bottom of the third when Barczi’s three-run homer erased the Blue Raiders’ one-run lead and effectively put the game out of reach. Before that, Middle Tennessee had managed to tie the game at 1 in the top half of the inning on Badylak’s solo shot, but Vanderbilt answered immediately with a four-run outburst that included the Barczi home run and an earlier sacrifice fly from Barczi in the first inning that had given the Commodores a 2-1 lead.

Hamilton retired the side in order in the second inning and worked around a double in the third before turning the game over to the bullpen. He allowed only two hits after the third inning.

Vanderbilt’s defense turned double plays in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings to help their pitchers escape potential trouble.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Vanderbilt 6, Middle Tennessee 5, and Interstat’s ELO system had projected Vanderbilt with an 87.10 percent probability to win.