Drake Fellows, Reid Shaller and Chandler Day pitched brilliantly, first baseman Julian Infante made three huge defensive plays, and third baseman Jayson Gonzalez smashed a big home run, as Vanderbilt knocked off St. John's, 2-0, in Game 1 of the Clemson Regional at Doug Kinsmore Stadium on Friday.

Fellows threw 103 pitches, striking out eight and scattering three hits. St. John's starting pitcher Sean Mooney was good as well, but Gonazlez's solo homer in the fifth, coupled with designated hitter Philip Clarke's double in the first, were enough.

Vanderbilt (32-25) turned two big double plays, with Infante being involved in each, to help keep the Red Storm off the scoreboard.

The Commodores advance to face the winner of Clemson and Morehead State at 6 Central on Friday night.

Fellows retired the first 10 men he faced, and ran into trouble just twice, while Schaller's eighth got more interesting than the Commodores might have liked.

Each time, the pitching and the defense powered through.

In the fourth, St. John's got a walk, followed by a one-out single by second baseman Josh Shaw. But VU shortstop Connor Kaiser made a nice grab of designated hitter Robert Boselli's pop-up to shallow center for out two.

First baseman Chris Stampfl popped a ball in foul territory just behind the right-handed-hitter's batter's box. Catcher Stephen Scott, looking into the sun, had a tough time locating it. Infante, though, sprinted from first to grab it and end the inning.

in the fifth, Gonzalez made a throwing error with one out to put on catcher Wyatt Mascarella. But Jordan Gillerman grounded to Infante at first, the junior stepping on the bag and firing to Kaiser for an inning-ending double play.

An inning later, with one out, third baseman John Valente blooped a double between three fielders in shallow center. With the pitch count around 80, Fellows then appeared to tire a little, walking center fielder Jamie Galazan.

But Fellows found his second wind, fanning Shaw on three pitches, then got Boselli chasing a 3-2 breaking ball that was low and away.

In the ninth, Day yielded a leadoff single up the middle to Stampfl. But Anthony Brocato hit a hard grounder to Kaiser, who flipped to second baseman Ethan Paul for the first out.

Paul's throw to first was high, but Infante jumped, snagged, and came down on the bag.

A strikeout of Mascarella on a 93-mile-per-hour fastball later, the Commodores had advanced.

Center fielder Austin Martin led off with a single in the first, then, came around to score with two outs when Clarke blooped a double between third and left, just inside the line, with two out.

After that inning, Mooney settled in with a fastball that sat 85-88, which he placed high and just out of the zone, time and time again, to get harmless pop-ups.

But in the fifth, he threw Gonzalez a knee-high fastball away just off the outer part of the plate. Gonzalez lined it four rows deep in the bleachers for a 2-0 lead.

It's the second-straight year that VU opened the Clemson Regional with a win over St. John's.

Fellows retired the first 10 of the game before Galazin walked on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth.

Vanderbilt is now 19-17 against teams currently in the RPI top 50.

Gonzalez's home run was his fifth of the year, and his first since April 3 (at MTSU).

VU 1: Clarke bloop double to left scored Martin. VU, 1-0

VU 5: Gonzalez home run to right. VU, 2-0