2019 College World Series: Vanderbilt wins over Louisville

The Vanderbilt Commodores had a sturdy test in front of them in their first 2019 College World Series game. Thanks to the bat of their star leadoff hitter, the Commodores were able to brush past the Louisville Cardinals to win 3-1 and advance in the winners bracket.

Austin Martin homered on the very first pitch that he saw in the bottom of the 1st inning. Reid Detmers wasn’t able to fool the Dores’ star 3rd baseman, as he deposited one over the seats to give VU a 1-0 lead.

Vandy would hold that 1-0 lead up until the top of the 5th inning. After Justin Lavey doubled off Drake Fellows, Henry Davis shot one up the middle that scored Lavey to bring the score up to 1-1. Despite putting two more runners on to load the bases on back-to-back singles, Fellows wiggled out of the jam by forcing a foul out and then a groundout.

Two innings later, Julian Infante hit a 1-out double off Cards pitcher Bryan Hoeing. That set the stage for Martin again, and Martin swung and smacked one into the seats again. His second homer of the day, another go-ahead blast, put the Commodores up 3-1 and they wouldn’t look back.

THe Cards would try to rally in the 9th. Zach Britton (not to be confused with Zack Britton) hit a two-out single but Logan Wyatt flew out to center to end the game.

Martin’s two hits were the most collected by anyone on the Commodores. Henry Davis matched him in that category, as the two of them were the only players to record multi-hit days. The Commodores got hits from JJ Bleday, Pat DeMarco and Infante. Louisville, meanwhile, got hits from Davis, Lavey, Danny Oriente, Jake Snider, Wyatt, Britton and Lucas Dunn.

Fellows was stout on the mound as he went 7 innings on Sunday afternoon. He allowed seven hits, but kept the runners to a minimum. He allowed the one extra base hit, and the one earned run, and struck out six batters and walked just one. He did have a wild pitch and one HBP, but was otherwise solid enough to get the job done. Tyler Brown shut the door and pitched 1.2 innings, allowing just the one hit to Britton and recorded a strikeout. Zach King pitched the only other 0.1 inning of the game, and came away with a walk and a groundout.

Vandy will face the winner of Auburn-Mississippi State on Tuesday night. Louisville, meanwhile, will face the loser of that contest in an elimination game on Tuesday afternoon.