NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt opened with a double, a triple and a two-run home run across the first five pitches, then rode that burst to a 6-0 win over fourth-ranked Texas on Saturday night at Hawkins Field. The loss was Texas’ first blanking of the season and evened the three-game SEC series at one win apiece.
Texas entered at 31-9 overall and 12-7 in the SEC, but managed only five hits after scoring 11 runs in the series opener. Vanderbilt, which came in at 26-18 and 10-10 in league play, used three pitchers to combine for 14 strikeouts and shut down a lineup that had looked far sharper a night earlier.
Aiden Stillman set the tone for Vanderbilt, starting and working the first 3 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Luke Guth followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and Tyler Baird finished it with a nine-out save. The early damage came fast. Mike Mancini scored twice and stole two bases, while Braden Holcomb drove in two runs and scored twice. Brodie Johnston added an RBI and a run scored, Colin Barczi doubled, drove in a run and scored once, and Ryker Waite also chipped in with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
Ruger Riojas took the loss for Texas after allowing five runs on eight hits in three innings. Thomas Burns gave the Longhorns some steadiness with 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball and five strikeouts, but the offense never broke through. The rubber game was scheduled for noon on Sunday at Hawkins Field, with Texas looking to leave Nashville with the series after Vanderbilt answered back in the second game.
