There’s a long-held belief that great pitching beats great hitting. As baseball innovates itself with analytics, technology, pitch clocks and new-shaped bats (in the major leagues at least), that belief remains true.
It was certainly true in the No. 19 Vanderbilt Commodores’ weekend series sweep versus the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs 3-1, 13-7 and 5-3.
With 40 strikeouts over the three-game series, The Commodores overpowered the Bulldogs’ bats, who lead the NCAA in home runs with 101, 12 more than the second-best team, Tennessee.
While the second game of the series turned into an offensive slugfest, Vanderbilt’s pitching shined in the first and third games.
Vanderbilt left-handed pitcher JD Thompson took the mound in Game 1 and threw his career-high in strikeouts with 14 over eight innings. Georgia’s one run came on the third pitch of the game. Thompson missed his spot on an 0-2 count, and third baseman Slate Alford capitalized.
After Alford’s no-doubter to left field, Thompson, unfazed, struck out the following three batters.
Sophomore pitcher Connor Fennell started Game 3 for the Commodores. Like Thompson, he also threw his career-high in strikeouts with 11 over 5 2/3 innings on Saturday.
In addition to the Bulldogs’ power, they are known for their plate discipline, fouling off pitches and drawing walks.
But Fennell worked the count seamlessly, alternating between his high fastball and changeup. Across five innings, only five of Georgia’s 17 at-bats lasted longer than four pitches, with the Bulldogs failing to draw a walk.
Vanderbilt complemented its strong pitching with well-executed situational hitting.
Game 1 was tied 1-1 in the seventh inning when Colin Barczi stepped into the box for the Commodores.
With runners on first and second, Barczi squared to bunt. He noticed how fast the corner infielders crashed towards home plate. On the next pitch, he squared to bunt. The corners crashed. Then Barczi pulled back his bat and slashed the ball at Ryland Zaborowski, playing first base halfway up the line.
The ball shot off of Zaborowski’s foot, and the leading run scored.
In Game 3, the Commodores home-run leader, Brodie Johnston, laid down a bunt on a squeeze play to bring in a run, extending their lead to 5-2.
The Commodores will play a mid-week game versus Middle Tennessee on Tuesday before traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels in a three-game series beginning on Friday.
Georgia will travel to Clemson, South Carolina, for a must-watch midweek game against the No. 3 Clemson Tigers on Tuesday. The Bulldogs return to Athens for a home series against Oklahoma, beginning Thursday.
