NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Vanderbilt lefty Carter Holton threw 5 2/3 shutout innings as the Commodores beat UCLA, 6-0, at Hawkins Field on Friday.

Holton allowed just one hit (a single), walking three and striking out seven. He used a fastball that sat around 92-95, an occasional slider and a mid-70s curve that was a big-time pitch on Friday.

"I threw a lot of strikes with the curve and that was good," Holton said. "I'd say feel for the curve ball was there a lot of the time."

"He executed," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. "He was efficient. Getting into the sixth inning this time of the year, especially against a team like that, is important."

RJ Austin led Vanderbilt (4-2) with two hits.

Bryce Cunningham pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings to finish.

Vanderbilt had eight straight men reach with two outs in the fourth to turn a scoreless game into a (5-0) lead.

RJ Scrheck lined a hard single past first to lead off, and then Austin dribbled a single to third with two outs to put men on the corners. UCLA starter Jake Brooks hit Parker Noland on the hand with a pitch and then Davis Diaz dumped the first pitch he saw the other way into right for a 2-0 lead.

Then, on a 2-1 count, Enrique Bradfield Jr. slapped a single through short to plate two more.

Polk then hit a soft ground ball to second, where Duce Gorson couldn’t make the tag on Bradfield and then threw wildly to first as Alan Espinal scored from second.

Holton sat in the dugout for all that and a high-40s temperature, but was sharp as ever upon return. After a leadoff walk, Holton bore down and got a pair of strikeouts with his curve and then ended the inning with another K on a fastball that painted the upper, outside corner that hit 95.

Holton came out in the sixth inning after his 88th pitch, with two out and none out.

- Espinal, who started Wednesday and hit two home runs, got his second-straight start behind the plate on Friday.

- The Commodores were hit five times in seven innings by UAB and got hit three times on Friday.

- Cunningham’s first 10 pitches were strikes. His fastball was still hitting 95 in the ninth.

VU 4: Diaz single to right scored Schreck, Austin. VU, 2-0

VU 4: Bradfield single to left scored Diaz, Espinal. VU, 4-0

VU 4: Espinal scored on throwing error. VU, 5-0

VU 8: Diaz grond-out scored Austin. VU, 6-0