Vanderbilt Ends No-Hit Bid, Stuns Wright State in Tournament Opener

Nashville, Tennessee – In a thrilling start to the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament, No. 1 seed Vanderbilt University overcame a no-hit effort through six innings to defeat Wright State, 3-2, in their regional opener on May 30.

The game, held at Hawkins Field, saw Wright State ace Cam Allen dominate early, striking out 12 batters and holding Vanderbilt scoreless until the seventh inning. The Commodores faced a daunting challenge as neither their heavy-hitting lineup nor their reputation could prevail against Allen’s fastball.

With Vanderbilt trailing 2-0 in the seventh, designated hitter Mike Mancini hit a solo home run to finally break the no-hit bid. This momentum shift energized the Commodores as Riley Nelson followed up with a two-run shot, overturning the deficit just moments later.

Vanderbilt’s pitching was equally impressive, with starter Carter Thompson allowing just three runs over eight innings, striking out twelve batters himself. After Thompson’s exit, the bullpen managed to shut down Wright State for the final inning, securing the team’s victory.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against a great pitcher, but we just needed one swing to get us going,” said Mancini. “Once we got that, it turned our confidence up to another level.”

The Commodores, with aspirations of returning to Omaha for the College World Series, will face No. 2 seed TCU in their next game on Saturday. Wright State will look to regroup as they prepare to square off against the tournament’s upset-minded underdogs.