Advantage defending champion Vanderbilt

Twenty 21, game one of the NCAA college Division I Baseball World Series at dressed-up. picturesque TD Ameritrade Park in Eugene, Oregon, advantage Vanderbilt, and those that follow the events biggest stage probably knew it after the Commodores Monday night handily won 8-2

But that’s what transpired when the defending champion Commodores were given a “no contest” key to the best-of-3 championship series, their opponent, Southeastern Conference rival North Carolina State had dropped game 1 as Vandy played to survive.

But when the game was over in a 3-1 final, it was learned that the NCAA was going to eliminate the once-beaten Wolf Pack when it was informed that its baseball team had reported six players tested COVID-19 positive and had only nine players remaining that didn’t include only four pitchers.

So with no opponent to play after being awarded with the game victory, Vanderbilt was given an automatic berth in the championship round. That, in turn, would now have All-America, right-handed sophomore Jack Leiter to start game one Monday, and he responded with six innings while giving up the two runs and five hits, striking out eight and walking two in the 8-2 triumph.

If not for this turnaround, the Commodores would have had to search for a starter when Leiter and other All-America Lorgan Rooker, were not available Sunday.

On the other hand, 7th-ranked Mississippi State had just played the deciding game that it won against Texas in double-elimination play. And so, it, too, was hurting for available starters, and Monday night it employed six different hurlers, with starter Christian Macleod gone quickly in the seven-run

last of the first. He stayed for 2-thirds of the inning.

The 7-run inning came after the Bulldogs cheered 3rd baseman Kamreh James for his solo home that brought a 1-0 lead, and then the Mississippi State dugout and many fans (total announced at 13,037)  must have been stunned when their pitchers caved in and this game was about over rapidly.

Leiter, son of former Major League pitcher Al Leiter, gave way to reliever Nick Maldonado after six innings and after he had thrown 107 pitches, and Maldonado stayed until the final out, striking out four, walking none, not allowing any runs and giving up two hits. The Commodores added on a run in the sixth frame and Mississippi State tallied once in the seventh.

Jason Gonzalez had the big hit in the first when he sent the ball over the left field fence with two runners aboard. Tanner Allen a two-run double, and Vandy was also able to take advantage of two Bulldogs errors.

Mississippi State, which along with the Commodores came out of the loser’s bracket, dropped to 50-17 and Vandy upped its record to 49-18, and one more win would bring it its fourth national title. Mississippi State is making its 12th appearance and has never hoisted the championship trophy, plus the school has yet to win a national title in any sport.