NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter allowed one run and struck out 10 over seven innings, lifting the Commodores to a 4-1 win over East Carolina at Hawkins Field in the Nashville Super Regional on Saturday.

Shortstop Carter Young's two-out single in the fifth provided the game's first two runs. The Commodores added two more in the ninth on a two-out RBI single by Enrique Bradfield Jr. and a bases-loaded walk to Dominic Keegan.

But it was the dominant pitching of Leiter and Nick Maldonado--the latter pitched two perfect innings to get his eighth save--that set everything up. The Commodores allowed one runner to second base in the two-game series, that coming on Josh Moylan's homer to right off Leiter in the seventh.

"We needed a very good pitching performance," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. "Jack has done that throughout the year he’s as good as it gets. … that had to happen today in order for us to have a chance.

That sets up the Commodores' fifth trip to the College World Series. They'll head to Omaha, Neb. as the defending national champions after winning it in 2019.

"It’s an amazing feeling," Leiter said. "This is why to come to Vanderbilt, for moments like this. The season would have felt incomplete if we didn’t make it this far. I’m just happy for the team and can’t wait to celebrate with them."

Vandy awaits the winner of the Tucson Super Regional, where Ole Miss and Arizona play, as its opening-game opponent. Arizona knocked off the Rebels, 9-3, in Friday night's first game.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth when ECU starter Carson Whisenhunt started to lose his control of the strike zone on a humid, 91-degree day and walked Javier Vaz and Jayson Gonzalez on 3-2 pitches.

The Pirates then went to right-handed reliever Matt Bridges, who struck Bradfield Jr. looking on another 3-2 pitch. But both stole a base on the play and then Young, who watched four sliders (taking two for balls) before whacking a fifth foul down first.

And so with that, ECU tried something--a 92-mile-an-hour fastball--and paid for it when Young dumped it into right center as two runs scored.

Bradfield added a two-out RBI double in the ninth off righty Cam Colmore, keeping the inning alive for a fourth run.

Leiter threw 91 pitches (61 for strikes) and at various times had four pitches working for him in what's most likely his last Hawkins Field start. Leiter's fastball touched 99 in the first, but sat 95-98 most of the day.

"This is not a video game so if you’re going to have any success as a pitcher, you’re going to have to mix pitches in hitter’s counts. … listen, we gave up one run. … Jack was great in every way," Corbin said later.

In the first, Leiter gave up a leadoff single to Connor Norby but then after an infield ground-out, got Moylan looking on a breaking ball and Alec Markarewicz swinging on the same.

Leiter briefly lost control in the second, throwing five straight balls before a nine-pitch at-bat with Seth Caddell that ended when Leiter got a called strike three on a pitch that appeared to be in the other batter's box. Leiter then got the next with a called strike three on three pitches on another breaking pitch.

Leiter's fastball command improved in the third, when he got strikeouts looking with pitches of 96 and 98.

Leiter's fourth was truly special as he had his slider, curve, fastball and change-up all working. He got a strikeout looking on the slider, then, got Markarewicz swinging on a fastball (95) and Agnos swinging on 97.

Leiter walked Lane Hoover--the leadoff man in the fifth--on eight pitches, but catcher C.J. Rodriguez easily threw Hoover out stealing. Bryson Worrell's swinging strikeout on an 81-mile-an-hour pitch got him out of the inning.

Vandy's right got a strikeout of Norby (97) in the sixth, allowed a home run to Moylan to start the seventh and got out of that inning later with a double play on his last pitch of the day.

Afterwards, Leiter was asked whether it was fair to say if he'd had four pitches working.

"I would say that’s a fair way to put it," Leiter said. "I felt comfy in the bullpen with my pitches and I actually had a change-up today that was effective and it was maybe the second time all season I’ve had that going."

V5: Young single to right-center scored Vaz, Gonzalez. VU, 2-0

E7: Moylan home run to right. VU, 2-1

V9: Bradfield double to right scored Rodriguez. VU, 3-1