Historic Upset as Wright State Eliminates Top-Seeded Vanderbilt

Historic Upset as Wright State Eliminates Top-Seeded Vanderbilt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt University’s baseball hopes for the 2025 season came to a premature end on Sunday at Hawkins Field, as they suffered a narrow 5-4 loss to the underdog Wright State in the NCAA Tournament Nashville Regional.

Entering the ninth inning trailing by four runs, the Commodores mounted a late-game charge, scoring three runs and putting the tying runner on third base. The rally began with a leadoff walk from Brodie Johnston, followed by a one-out walk from Colin Barczi, and the bases were loaded after Jonathan Vastine earned the third walk. With two outs, Mike Mancini hit a two-run single that brought the score to 5-3. However, Rustan Rigdon's ground-rule double, which bounced over the wall, allowed Vastine to score, but it also sent Mancini back to third base, preventing the Commodores from tying the game. A fly out to deep right ended their season, confirming the 5-4 defeat.

This loss marks a significant moment in NCAA history, as Wright State, a No. 4 seed from the Horizon League, achieved a remarkable upset by sending the No. 1 seeded Commodores home before the regional final, a feat not seen since the current tournament format was adopted in 1999. Additionally, Vanderbilt became the first top national seed to be eliminated in the regional round since UCLA experienced a similar fate in 2015 and has now faced elimination in the regionals for four successive seasons.

The Commodores' struggles began early in the game as they started pitcher Austin Nye, who managed to retire just seven batters while giving up four runs immediately. Following the challenging first inning where Wright State showcased their power with back-to-back homers, Johnston managed to put Vanderbilt on the board with a solo home run in the second, marking his team-leading 15th of the season. The Raiders quickly responded with an RBI single in the third, increasing their lead to 5-1.

Despite the rocky start, relief pitchers Alex Kranzler and Miller Green largely stifled Wright State’s offensive momentum through the remainder of the game. Kranzler recorded an impressive strikeout performance, not yielding any earned runs over four innings, while Green shut out Wright State for three innings with four strikeouts. However, Vanderbilt's eventual rally fell short, and with this defeat, the Commodores concluded their season with a record of 43-18.

Shortly after the Commodores' exit, Wright State faced another challenge against Louisville and was defeated 6-0, ending their remarkable upset run as well. The Cardinals advanced to the super regionals, demonstrating the unforgiving nature of the tournament.

This Sunday was particularly challenging for top-seeded teams, as they faced unexpected eliminations. Following Vanderbilt's exit, the No. 2 seed, Texas, also lost to UTSA for the second time in two days, sealing their fate in the Austin regional and making it the rare occasion where both the No. 1 and No. 2 national seeds did not reach the super regionals.

Tournament activities continue to unfold, with various teams vying for advancement to the next stages. Vanderbilt's outcome serves as a reminder of the unpredictability inherent in college baseball and the fierce competition that characterizes the NCAA tournament.