Vanderbilt scored nine runs in the first two innings, and then held on for dear life late, defeating ninth-ranked Oklahoma State, 11-9, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, in the College Baseball Showdown.

Matthew Polk's three-run triple in the second was the day's biggest hit. The Commodores No. 4-through-6 hitters--Calvin Hewett, Parker Noland and RJ Austin--each had two hits and two RBIs for an offense that had 11 hits and reached base 17 times.

Oklahoma State had 10 hits, including a pair of home runs, and reached base 10 more times via free passes. But the Cowboys left 11 men on base compared to Vanderbilt's five.

Andrew Dutkanych picked up the win in his first collegiate appearance, allowing one unearned run in two innings.

Vandy (1-1) led 11-2 after four innings, but the Cowboys (1-1) scored a run off four of the five Commodores who pitched. The exception was Nick Maldonado, who threw a perfect ninth for a save.

Vanderbilt got nine runs in the first two innings thanks to a more aggressive approach at the plate as well as some good fortune (a .583 batting average on balls in play in those two innings, with five of the seven hits being singles).

Oklahoma State freshman lefty Brennan Phillips (1 1/3 innings, seven earned runs, two walks, two hit batsmen, four hits) had a tough collegiate debut. He walked Enrique Bradfield Jr. and hit Polk and after both tagged and scored when RJ Schreck flied out to left.

Hewett then ripped a two-RBI double to deep left, giving Vanderbilt its first lead.

Vandy’s Jonathan Vastine walked and Bradfield and Davis Diaz added one-out singles before Polk lined a bases-clearing triple to right-center to put the ‘Dores up, 5-1.

OSU went to right-hander Ben Abram, who walked Hewett to again load the bases before Noland ripped a single to right for a six-run lead.

Austin added another run-scoring single and a Jack Bulger ground-out added another.

That staked Vandy to a 9-2 lead after two innings, and then the pitching and defense became a problem.

Starter Hunter Owen (four innings, six strikeouts, seven runners and two runs allowed) gave Vanderbilt 77 pitches before he was removed for Dutkanych. His fastball topped out at 97 and he got 15 swings and misses.

Dutkanych, the freshman right-hander, walked five and allowed a hit, and left the bases loaded in the sixth. The lone run came on a Bulger passed ball.

Ryan Ginther threw a perfect seventh, but was torched for five-straight hits with one out--two singles, two doubles and a Nolan McLean home run--before being removed for Thomas Schultz.

Last year's closer then struggled, giving up a walk and a single to start and then Diaz, playing short, committed a fielding and throwing error on the next play, allowing the final two runs to score in a six-run eighth.

Schultz finally fanned the next two guys, stranding two before handing it off to Maldonado.

The Commodores play Texas at 10:30 on Sunday morning. Vanderbilt has used nine pitchers in two games, but last year's midweek starter, Devin Futrell, has yet to pitch. Neither has Patrick Reilly, who's made 10 career starts.