Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Pitchers Shutdown Florida in SEC Series Opening Game

The Commodores used three pitchers to coral the Gators, which proved to be enough for Vanderbilt to walk off the field with a 6-0 win.

Taylor Hodges

Vanderbilt pitcher JD Thompson (22) pitches against Arkansas during the first inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 28, 2025.
Vanderbilt pitcher JD Thompson (22) pitches against Arkansas during the first inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 28, 2025. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Friday night’s game between No. 23 Vanderbilt and Florida wasn’t the epic pitcher’s duel some had predicted, but that wasn’t the Commodores’ fault.

Vanderbilt won the first game of the weekend at Condron Park in Gainesville, Fla. 6-0 thanks in part to the three Commodore pitchers, but also timely hitting by the Commodore batters.

JD Thompson held the Gators to just four hits and three walks in 4.2 innings of work and was relieved after allowing Florida two base runners in the bottom of the fifth inning and two outs, the last of which was a four-pitch strikeout to Boser. Vanderbilt then sent Miller Green to end the inning with a strikeout of his own. It was the only batter Green, who got the win for Vanderbilt, faced before Sawyer Hawks entered the game to start the sixth inning and gave up three hits and no walks while tallying six strikeouts.

Florida’s starting pitcher Liam Peterson, a likely first round draft prospect, struck out six batters but also gave up five walks and five hits for three runs in 5.1 innings of work. In all, the Gators issued 10 bases on balls and Vanderbilt did its best to take advantage of those free baserunners.

One of those walks led to the games’ first run scored. Mike Mancini drew a two-out walk in the at-bat just before RJ Austin hit a triple to left center field. Austin would later drive in another Commodore who reached base on a walk in the fifth inning. Austin’s double extended Vanderbilt to 2-0 and Riley Nelson extended it even further when he drove in Austin on center field single.

The Commodores added on to their lead in the eight inning. Once again, Vanderbilt batters drawing walks played a major role in the inning. Jonathan Vastine and Jacob Humphrey reached base after Rustan Rigdon who was placed in the lineup between Vastine and Rigdon. Riley Nelson capped of the scoring with two RBI single to right field.

Vanderbilt and Florida will continue their weekend series at noon Saturday on SECN+.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Taylor Hodges is a staff writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI covering all-things Vanderbilt. Taylor brings more than a decade’s worth of award-winning sports writing, photography and video experience covering every level of sports — from Little League baseball to professional sports and other sports like hunting and fishing. Taylor is fueled by his lifelong passion for sports that began the same day Kirk Gibson hit his legendary World Series walk-off home run, Arkansas beat Texas in Austin and No. 4 Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami in the Catholics vs. Convicts game.

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