How’s that for emotion? The Bulge—who stays red hot from the plate when starting behind it—walks it off with a liner in the 9th.

Both teams’ Friday night starters had rough nights. Illness caused Barco to be removed after 2 IP, and McBain was just missing spots early and often. Here were their final lines:

#12 Jorts So. LHP Hunter “Gatherer” Barco

2 IP 4 H 2 R 1 BB 4 K on 50 pitches (30 strikes)

#35 Vanderbilt Jr. RHP Chris “McBain” McElvain

4 IP 4 H 4 R 3 BB 2 K on 68 pitches (40 strikes)

I don’t want to be the one to say McBain is hitting the reliever turned starter wall, but McBain may well be hitting the reliever turned starter wall. Might be wise to sit him one game like we did for Jack Leiter last year. We certainly have the pitching depth to do it, especially as Maldo is close to returning to the pen but would have to make the decision soon, so as to hold back someone on Tuesday.

On the plus side, Corbs made the smart move to go to Reilly down 1 run in the 5th, rather than save him for Sunday, You win the game in front of you and worry about Sunday later. Again, pitching depth.

#88 Vanderbilt So. RHP Patrick “Life of” Reilly

3 & 1/3 IP 2 H 0 R 3 BB 5 K on 59 pitches (33 strikes)

He allowed the inherited runner to score, but shut things down after that. Of course, Reilly’s control got wobbly in the 8th, and Corbs pulled him at the right time, as well. The Mayor came in calm, cool, and collected, and collected his second win of the season when The Bulge walked it off in the bottom of the 9th.

#66 Vanderbilt Jr. RHP Thomas “The Mayor” Schultz (W, 2-1)

1 & 2/3 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 3 K on 24 pitches (16 strikes)

On the Mound

Saturday @ 6:00pm CT on SEC Network

#20 Vanderbilt Fr. LHP Carter “Rev. Holton Heat” Holton (4-2; 4.14 ERA)

vs. #8 Jorts So. RHP Brandon “Little Sprout” Sproat (4-3, 4.23 ERA)

The Lineup

1 cf 51 Enrique Bradfield Jr L .299

2 lf 2 Javier Vaz L .272

3 1b 12 Dominic Keegan R .417

4 rf 34 Spencer Jones L .354

5 c 16 Jack Bulger R .303

6 2b 6 Tate Kolwyck R .287

7 dh 13 Jonathan Vastine L .207

8 3b 11 Davis Diaz R .287

9 ss 9 Carter Young B .255

See you in the comments.