Nashville, Tennessee – In a surprising turn of events, Wright State University pulled off a stunning victory against the top-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores, defeating them 5-4 in the Nashville Regional of the NCAA tournament. This win was significant as it marked the first time since the tournament’s current format was established in 1999 that a No. 1 seed failed to reach its regional final.
Wright State, the No. 4 seed from the Horizon League, saw their star pitcher, Griffen Paige, put in a fantastic effort, throwing for over eight innings. He allowed only two runs on a single hit, while striking out two. Paige described the game as “the biggest game I’ve ever pitched in,” noting the importance of focusing on each out and pitch throughout his 113-pitch outing. Earlier in the game, teammates Boston Smith and Luke Arnold energized the rally with back-to-back home runs, giving the Raiders a strong lead.
As the game unfolded, Vanderbilt became the fourth national seed eliminated, joining an exclusive club where it also saw UCLA face a similar fate in 2015. The Commodores were recently touted as a powerhouse, and their exit is a shocking blow, especially since they entered the tournament as the overall No. 1 seed.
Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, another upset shook the college baseball world. The No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns were eliminated by the UTSA Roadrunners in the Austin Regional Championship. UTSA, once struggling in the NCAA, demonstrated its growth this season by advancing to its first super regional. Norris McClure shone for the Roadrunners with a strong 3-for-5 performance, including a two-run homer in the first inning.
UTSA showed its defensive prowess during the game, highlighted by remarkable plays such as James Taussig‘s cautions at the warning track and Mason Lytle‘s diving catch saving a potential run. The Roadrunners capitalized on opportunities, scoring five runs in the third inning to command a significant lead.
With both Wright State and UTSA flipping the script on the regional round, this tournament edition promises to foster more surprises as it heads deeper into the super regionals.
