Paul, bullpen put VU into Clemson Regional title game
Vanderbilt's Ethan Paul smacked a two-run homer, and the Commodore bullpen pieced together five scoreless innings, as VU edged Clemson, 4-3, in a winner's bracket game in the Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C., on Saturday night.
Paul's second-inning homer tied the game in the second after VU fell behind 3-0 early.
The Commodores took the lead on shortstop Connor Kaiser's single in the fifth. Relievers Patrick Raby, Jackson Gillis and Reid Schaller held the Tigers in check from there.
Vanderbilt advances to the championship round on Sunday night at 5 Central. They'll face the winner of Sunday's elimination game between Clemson and St. John's. The Commodores beat St. John's, 2-0, on Friday to get to this one.
Freshman Mason Hickman will likely get the start for the Commodores in Sunday's contest.
Clemson plated three early runs against surprise starter Zach King. They came on a Chris Williams single that scored Seth Beer in the first, a Drew Wharton single that scored Beer later in the inning, and Logan Davidson's single to score Sam Hall in the second.
Vandy battled back in the second. Julian Infante grounded out to score Connor Kaiser, then, Paul homered the opposite way to left, scoring Stephen Scott, to tie.
And then, the bullpen held it together from there.
First came Raby, the junior right-hander who was expected to start the game. He picked up the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and gave way to Gillis with two out and one on in the sixth.
Gillis got Patrick Cromwell to ground out to end that inning, then came out for the eighth against what might be the country's most dangerous threesome in the country.
That didn't start well when Davidson singled. But he struck out Beer swinging, Williams looking, then, struck out Kyle Wilkie swinging.
Schaller, who was touching 98 with his fastball, retired the side in order in the ninth.
That left Day to finish in the ninth. Kaiser made a terrific running grab of pinch-hitter Kier Meredith's pop-up near the wall behind third for out one. Cromwell popped to Paul at second, but Day walked Davidson to bring up Beer again.
The junior got him swinging over the top of a pair of sliders, then, coaxed a lazy pop-up to Austin Martin in center for the final out.
The Commodores also disposed of St. John's in Game 1 of the 2017 Clemson Regional before beating the host team on a Saturday night.
Clemson won a Sunday elimination game, then, beat VU in a nightcap, before falling to Vandy in the Monday winner-take-all contest.