Vanderbilt's Brodie Johnston (9) celebrates with R.J. Austin after hitting a home run off Wright State pitcher Griffen Paige (36) during the second inning of the Nashville Regional NCAA Baseball Tournament elimination game at Hawkins Field Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt’s Fun 2025 Season Ended Sooner Than Expected, But Future is Bright

Originally posted on Vanderbilt Commodores on SI
By Taylor Hodges | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 11:58 AM ET

It’s kind of shocking to wake up this morning and remember Vanderbilt’s season is over after expecting the Commodores to play another couple of weeks.

But they’re not. Those super regional plans? In the trash. Hotel reservation in Omaha? Won’t be needing that anymore.

It’s a disappointing end to what had been a very fun and entertaining baseball season.

“I think we're all surprised when you're finished,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said after Sunday’s 5-4 loss to Wright State. “You know, there hasn't been a day where we've been out of a tournament where we don't feel the same way. Right now, at this moment, I don't. I feel great about the effort and how hard we played. I just wish the outcome was different for the boys. That sucks. It's the nature of the game. It's cruel.”

The 2025 season will be remembered for a lot of reasons. Some good. Some bad.

Yes, this season will be remembered because Vanderbilt is the first-ever No. 1 overall seed to not make its own regional final. But it’ll also be remembered for a dominant run in the SEC Tournament.

Yes, it will be remembered for the ground rule double that prevented a game-tying run from scoring. But it’ll also be remembered for the late inning, walk off home runs the Commodores had.

Yes, it will be remembered for coach Tim Corbin’s pitching gamble. But it’ll also be remembered for the dominance of Vanderbilt’s bullpen.

All of that, and a lot more, is what made this season so fun. That’s what this season should remembered as.

And the future is bright in Nashville. We’ll see what happens in the transfer portal that opened today and who all gets drafted in the MLB Draft. The incoming recruiting class is very good and the Commodores have several key contributors coming back next season.

“I felt like we've got some really cool personalities on the team that really helped shape the team,” Corbin said. “Look at a guy like Alex who's a sophomore, he's growing, he's maturing. He's going to play a bigger role next year. Yeah, I feel good about it. I feel good about where we are right now today. At the end of it, yeah, there's no doubt. I don't think anyone is, you know, a number one seed, essence and champion. None of them. Guys put together a nice year, and they'll recognize that when it's all said and done.”