Vanderbilt baseball score vs. Eastern Illinois in NCAA Nashville Regional: Live updates
Vanderbilt baseball is back hosting a regional after failing to do so last year.
In the opening game of the NCAA Nashville Regional, the No. 6 seed Commodores (41-18) will take on Eastern Illinois (38-19). The winner of that game will face the winner of Xavier and Oregon in the winners bracket game Saturday.
Vanderbilt will start Devin Futrell on the mound, coach Tim Corbin said Thursday. The Panthers have not announced a starter, but their typical ace has been Ky Hampton-Matthews, an all-conference selection.
Both teams are fresh off conference tournament victories, as the Commodores won the SEC Tournament and Eastern Illinois won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Vanderbilt has won the opening game in seven of the eight regionals it has hosted, only losing the opener in 2016.
HAWKINS FIELD RENOVATIONSTim Corbin on Vanderbilt baseball's Hawkins Field renovations: 'Wanted something ... totally unique'
GREYSEN CARTERA wildfire torched his home and Vanderbilt cut him. But Greysen Carter wouldn't be stopped
Vanderbilt baseball vs. Eastern Illinois in NCAA Nashville Regional opener: Game time, TV info
The game will be at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Vanderbilt baseball vs. Eastern Illinois in NCAA Nashville Regional opener: Live score updates
Ninth inning
Eastern Illinois 9th: A single but nothing else for the Panthers.
FINAL: Vanderbilt 12, Eastern Illinois 2.
Eighth inning
Vanderbilt 8th: Commodores add two more runs via a walk, an error, a single and a passed ball. Vanderbilt 12, Eastern Illinois 2.
Eastern Illinois 8th: Panthers go down 1-2-3.
Seventh inning
Vanderbilt 7th: A leadoff walk and a 2-run homer by Jonathan Vastine gives the Commodores double digits. Vanderbilt 10, Eastern Illinois 2.
On the next at-bat, Enrique Bradfield's aluminum bat snaps at the handle. Wow.
Eastern Illinois 7th: Panthers GIDP to end the inning. Looking like Vanderbilt-Oregon on Saturday night.
Sixth inning
Vanderbilt 6th: Troy LaNeve strikes out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Eastern Illinois 6th: Panthers lead off with back-to-back singles. Futrell up to 90 pitches, and that'll be the end of the line for him. Thomas Schultz coming in.
Schultz gets a groundball to get out of a bases loaded jam.
Fifth inning
Vanderbilt 5th: A single and a walk but nothing across for the Commodores.
Eastern Illinois 5th: Chris Worchester doubles and then scores on a Davis Diaz error. The inning ends with Lincoln Riley getting thrown out at home on a single. Much like the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game, it wasn't close. (The last one. Promise.) Vanderbilt 8, Eastern Illinois 2.
Fourth inning
Vanderbilt 4th: RJ Schreck's single is all for the Commodores in the 4th.
Eastern Illinois 4th: Futrell with a 1-2-3 inning, and he has 5 strikeouts. He's thrown 58 pitches through four innings.
Third inning
Vanderbilt 3rd: Bradfield leads off the inning with a double, and Davis Diaz hits a long home run to left field. Vanderbilt 4, Eastern Illinois 1.
Noland walked, and Maldonado had a HBP. That will chase Eastern Illinois starter Ky Hampton. Jonathon Hanscom is in for EIU.
Hanscom walks RJ Austin and Troy LaNeve, scoring Noland. Alan Espinal clears the bases with a 3 RBI double. Vanderbilt 8, Eastern Illinois 1.
Eastern Illinois 3rd: Futrell works through a leadoff single.
Second inning
Vanderbilt 2nd: A Troy LaNeve single but nothing else in the Vandy 2nd.
Eastern Illinois 2nd: A 1-2-3 second for EIU. Much better from Futrell.
First inning
Vanderbilt 1st: Enrique Bradfield singled, then Davis Diaz doubled. RJ Shreck drove in Bradfield with a sacrifice fly, and Parker Noland drove in Diaz with an RBI single. A Chris Maldonado double play ends the inning, but Vandy regains the lead. Vanderbilt 2, Eastern Illinois 1.
Eastern Illinois 1st: Devin Futrell on the mound against the OVC champions. Lincoln Riley (not that one) leads the game off with a triple to left center. Ryan Ignoffo then doubles to left field. Riley scores. Eastern Illinois 1, Vanderbilt 0.