HOOVER, Ala. – The Vanderbilt Commodores won the SEC tournament championship and the automatic NCAA tournament bid by defeating the Ole Miss Rebels by a score of 3-2 on May 25, 2025, at Hoover Met before a crowd of 13,518 The victory improved Vanderbilt’s record to 42-16, while Ole Miss’s record moved to 40-19.
Vanderbilt established an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. After Riley Nelson (#32) was hit by a pitch, Brodie Johnston (#9) hit a home run to left field, driving in two runs and giving the Commodores a 2-0 advantage. Johnston finished the game with two RBIs and was 2-for-4.
Ole Miss responded in the top of the fifth inning. Hayden Federico (#9) walked, followed by Luke Cheng (#3) being hit by a pitch. Mitchell Sanford (#4) then singled to center field, allowing Federico to score and narrow the deficit to 2-1. Vanderbilt quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning when Jacob Humphrey (#10) hit a solo home run down the right field line, extending Vanderbilt’s lead to 3-1. This was Humphrey’s fourth home run of the season.
The Rebels mounted a comeback attempt in the top of the ninth inning. Isaac Humphrey (#51) hit a home run to right field, his 11th of the season, to bring Ole Miss within one run at 3-2. However, Vanderbilt closer Sawyer Hawks (#88), who entered the game in the eighth inning, finished the inning to secure the 3-2 victory for the Commodores. Hawks earned his seventh save of the season.
Key hitting performances for Vanderbilt included the home runs by Brodie Johnston (#9) and Jacob Humphrey (#10). Braden Holcomb (#26) also contributed with two hits, and Mike Mancini (#5) hit a double. For Ole Miss, Mitchell Sanford (#4) and Isaac Humphrey (#51) were responsible for the RBIs, with Humphrey’s coming via a home run.
On the mound, Vanderbilt’s Luke Guth (#33) was credited with the win, improving his record to 4-0. Ole Miss starter Walker Hooks (#19) took the loss, dropping his record to 1-1. Vanderbilt utilized five pitchers in total: Austin Nye (#40), Miller Green (#90), Luke Guth (#33), Levi Huesman (#36), and Sawyer Hawks (#88). Ole Miss used three pitchers: Walker Hooks (#19), Taylor Rabe (#50), and Hudson Calhoun (#23). Ole Miss left 7 runners on base compared to 4 for Vanderbilt.
Disclaimer: This press release was generated with the assistance of an AI model based on the provided source text.
