Vanderbilt players reacts after losing to Louisville in the Nashville Regional NCAA Baseball Tournament game at Hawkins Field Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt lost 3-2. Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Instant Analysis: Louisville Baseball 3,Vanderbilt 2 In Nashville Regional At NCAA Tournament

Originally posted on Vanderbilt Commodores on SI
By Graham Baakko | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 1:31 AM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Vanderbilt’s offense went quiet in the moments when it mattered most as the Commodores took a 3-2 loss to Louisville on the second day of the NCAA Tournament.

The story of the game Vanderbilt not getting the key hit throughout the course of the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Commodores started the frame off with back-to-back hits that put runners on second and third with nobody out.

It looked as if Vanderbilt was about to pull off another comeback as Hawkins Field got loud, but the Commodores followed up the two hits with a groundout, a strikeout and a flyout that stranded the runners on second and third.

Again, down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Vanderbilt put runners on the corners with two outs. Once again, it felt as though the cardiac Commodore magic would continue. Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, it did not.

In a 0-1 count, Rustan Rigdon hit a ground ball to the shortstop, who stepped on second base for the final out of the game.

From a pitching stand point, Cody Bowker gave Vanderbilt a solid outing, going 5.1 innings and giving up three runs on five hits. Connor Fennell came out of the bullpen and pitched three shutout innings and kept his team in the game, but the offense just could not get the breakthrough hit.

“We pitched well. We really did play hard,” Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin said. “Pitched well, played good defense, ran the bases well. Actually, some of our base running maneuvers allowed us to score. But as far as timely hitting, no. And you have to give credit to Louisville. They pitched well. And that was the tough part for us. So, move forward.”

Saturday’s loss sets up an elimination game with a rematch with Wright State on Sunday. Vanderbilt took down the Raiders 4-3 Friday night in its first game of the regional round, but now the Commodores will be facing them in a win-or-go-home game.

Vanderbilt and Wright State are set to start at 2 p.m. CT Sunday.

Watch the above video as Vanderbilt On SI analyst Graham Baakko breaks down Vanderbilt baseball's Nashville Regional loss to Louisville. Graham discusses the game, what went wrong and the rematch with Wright State Saturday.