Vanderbilt secured an 8-5 win over Kentucky in the first round of the SEC Tournament, capitalizing on a four-run sixth inning that turned a tight contest into a comfortable lead.
The Wildcats drew first blood with a double from Tyler Bell and an RBI single by Luke Lawrence, but Vanderbilt answered quickly as Bell later added a solo homer in the second inning.
Carson Hansen contributed a solo home run in the fourth, and Colin Barczi’s double set up a run that narrowed the gap before the pivotal sixth inning.
Alex Kranzler earned the win with 4.1 innings of relief, striking out five batters and preserving Vanderbilt’s momentum.
The decisive sixth inning
Vanderbilt’s rally featured four consecutive two-out singles, and an error by Kentucky allowed Rustan Rigdon to score the go-ahead run.
Brodie Johnston later launched his 15th home run of the season, and the Commodores added more runs in the eighth before Kentucky trimmed the margin in the ninth.
The pitching staff also featured Logan Johnstone, Tommy Goodin, Ryker Waite and Korbin Reynolds, who combined to keep Kentucky’s comeback attempts at bay.
With the victory, Vanderbilt will face Florida on Wednesday in the second round, carrying the confidence of a balanced offense and a reliable bullpen.