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Published Apr 22, 2022
Two Vandy hurlers combine to no-hit Cats
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Jeff Drummond  •  CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor
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@JDrumUK

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- In a Vanderbilt season that has yet to match the program's lofty perennial expectations, the Commodores looked a bit more like their championship predecessors on Friday night at Kentucky Proud Park.

Pitchers Chris McElvain and Christian Little combined on a no-hitter and the Vandy bats supported them with 12 hits in a 10-0 win over the struggling Wildcats.

McElvain (5-2), a junior right-hander, went seven innings, striking out nine and walking three in a 104-pitch effort. Little came on to retire the final six outs for the Commodores, allowing only a walk and striking out four.

It marked UK's lowest hit performance since being one-hit by South Carolina in 2015.

No. 19 Vanderbilt (27-10, 8-8 SEC) had five different players record a multi-hit game, led by Spencer Jones with two hits and three RBI. All nine players in the Commodores' starting lineup drew a walk with three of them drawing a pair.

The visitors would have done even more damage, but UK threw out two runners at the plate, the only real highlights for the Cats (21-17, 5-11 SEC) playing in front of their largest crowd of the season.

Kentucky pitching surrendered 12 hits, issued 12 walks, and hit three batters. The Commodores had an eye-popping 28 baserunners on the night.

Starter Mason Hazelwood (1-1) had a decent outing for UK, allowing just two runs over five innings on the mound, but once the grad senior left-hander departed, the Cats' injury-riddled staff had no answers.

The series resumes on Saturday at Noon ET.

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