Freshmen Philip Clarke, Pat DeMarco, Mason Hickman and Austin Martin all did their part on Sunday in helping Vanderbilt to a 9-1, series-clinching win over Duke at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores scored two in the fifth and five in the sixth to break open a close game and clinch the three-game series.

Hickman threw five scoreless relief innings, striking out seven and picking up a win.

DeMarco, who started in right field after two starts in center, led Vandy with three hits while scoring two runs and knocking in two.

Martin hit a solo homer and scored two runs, while Clarke had a hit and led VU with three RBIs.

It was close early. The Commodores held a 2-1 lead after starter Chandler Day (six strikeouts, one earned run in four innings) exited after a 62-pitch outing.

The Blue Devils then made good contact off Hickman in his first inning of work.

Jimmy Herron singled to lead off the fifth, and then Julian Infante made a nice play on a ball that All-American Griffin Conine hit to first.

Paul then made a terrific leaping grab to snare a line drive from Kennie Taylor, turning what was likely an RBI hit into a double play.

Hickman walked a man with one out in the sixth, but got a double play to get out of that.

From that point on, the freshman right-hander was tough to hit. He gave up a pair of singles to start the seventh, but struck out a pair of hitters and got a weak looper to second to end that.

Vandy's Martin led off the bottom of the first with a home run over the big wall in left, then, Infante took a bases-loaded walk to force in a second run.

In the fifth, Clarke hit a fly ball to shallow left that found room between Duke shortstop Zack Kone and the left fielder Herron, making the lead 4-1.

Clarke and Paul added two-RBI singles from there, as Hickman held the Blue Devils down from there.

Veterans Alonzo Jones and Connor Kaiser also had two hits, with Kaiser reaching base a third time on a walk.

Next, Vanderbilt hosts Presbyterian for Tuesday and Wednesday games.

Freshman Jayson Gonzalez threw a runner out at home on an infield grounder in the third, and added two hits.

Freshmen Hickman, Garrett Blaylock and Tyler Solomon made their collegiate debuts. Solomon entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and Blaylock was a defensive replacement for Gonzalez at third.

Kiambu Fentress came in to replace Jones in center for his season debut.

VU 1: Martin home run to left. VU, 1-0

VU 1: Infante bases-loaded walk scores Paul. VU, 2-0

DU 3: Labowsky double to left-center scores Herron. VU, 2-1

VU 5: Clarke single to left scores Kaiser, DeMarco. VU, 4-1

VU 6: Jones scores on Chillari's throwing error. VU, 5-1

VU 6: Paul single scores Kaiser and Martin. VU, 7-1

VU 6: Scott single scores Paul. VU, 8-1

VU 6: Clarke RBI ground-out scores DeMarco. VU, 9-1