Raby, bullpen blank Alabama on Easter Sunday

Vanderbilt’s Patrick Raby, Hugh Fisher and Tyler Brown combined on a shutout, as VU beat Alabama, 2-0, to sweep the series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Easter Sunday.

Right fielder J.J. Bleday bashed a solo home run in the third for the Commodores (31-9, 12-6 Southeastern Conference). Catcher Philip Clarke’s RBI single, scoring shortstop Ethan Paul, provided another third-inning run.

Raby (6-1) allowed just two hits, walking four and striking out eight in six innings. It was a terrific recovery for the senior, who gave up a combined 11 runs against Arkansas and Georgia in six innings in his previous two starts.

Raby left a man on the the seventh with nobody out for Fisher, who hit a batter but gave up no runners while striking out two.

Brown pitched two shutout innings, yielding just one hit, to pick up his ninth save.

It’s VU’s first three-game sweep of Alabama in Tuscaloosa since 1906.

Vanderbilt is a game behind Georgia in the SEC East, and tied with Arkansas for second in its overall standings.

The Commodores don’t have a non-conference game in the upcoming midweek due to exams. Auburn (26-14, 10-8 SEC) comes to VU’s Hawkins Field to start a three-game series, which begins Thursday at 6 p.m. Central.