Update: Sunday’s SEC Tournament Championship Game has been moved to noon due to inclement weather expected in the area Sunday evening.
HOOVER, Ala. – Vanderbilt shutout Tennessee on Saturday with a 10-0, seven-inning win in the semifinals of the 2025 SEC Tournament to advance to the championship game on Sunday.
The Commodores totaled 13 hits, all singles, en route to Saturday’s victory. Rustan Rigdon went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in the leadoff position. Riley Nelson and Mike Mancini registered two hits apiece and every Vandy starter finished with at least one base knock.
Cody Bowker and Connor Fennell combined to hold Tennessee scoreless over just four hits. Bowker earned the win with four innings of work, striking out nine. Fennell tossed the final three frames to pick up the save.
Nelson opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to score Rigdon. The Dores opened a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second with four runs on five singles.
Vandy loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. Brodie Johnston and Colin Barczi both scored on a pair of wild pitches as the Dores went up by a touchdown.
Jonathan Vastine singled with one out in the sixth and advanced to second on a fly out. Mancini then ripped a single up the middle to score Vastine from second. After Mancini took second on a wild pitch, RJ Austin singled through the left side to bring Mancini home from second.
Nelson put the Commodores up by 10 with his second hit of the game as Rigdon came around to score on the base hit.
Tennessee put runners on the corners in the top of the seventh, but Fennell slammed the door to secure the run-rule win. Vanderbilt has won three straight against the Volunteers and have won seven consecutive games heading into Sunday.
Vanderbilt advances to the championship game for the second time in three seasons. The Commodores won the 2025 SEC Tournament in 2023, the program’s fourth tournament title and third under head coach Tim Corbin.
Vandy will face either LSU or Ole Miss in the final game on Sunday at noon p.m..
