SEC Tournament Recap: Vanderbilt wins the SEC title

Sawyer Hawkes stepped back on the mound after walking the potential go-ahead run on base in the ninth while protecting a 3-2 lead. The  Commodore closer was an out away from winning the SEC Tournament championship, but he weighed the world on his shoulders.

In stepped Brayden Randle, who subbed into the game in the seventh and had the chance to be a hero for Ole Miss. With most of the 13,518 people in the crowd wearing red and blue, Hawkes had to remain calm and dig deep.

Ahead in the count 0-1, Randle skied one into centerfield, where RJ Austin was there to make the catch and seal Vanderbilt’s fifth SEC Tournament title – the third under head coach Tim Corbin.

ANCHOR DOWN⚓️ @VandyBoys wins the SEC Tournament Championship 3-2 over Ole Miss! Mike Mancini’s fifth inning home run was the difference today. pic.twitter.com/6A4sUpdBPY

— Hunter DeLauder (@DelauderHunter) May 25, 2025

“It’s unbelievable, it’s a standard every year, just getting back to this spot,” said first baseman Riley Nelson.

Nelson was one of the many Commodores to step up this week in Hoover, AL, where he made the 2025 SEC All-Tournament Team at the first base position. Another guy who had himself a day was Brodie Johnston.

In the bottom of the first, after Nelson took a hit-by-pitch, Johnston made the Rebels pay by blasting his team-leading 13th home run of the season into the left-field bullpen. He finished the day 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Like Nelson, Johnston earned a spot on the SEC All-Tournament Team at third base and won Tournament MVP.

BRODIE BARRELS pic.twitter.com/Bu1HSDPSMJ

— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) May 25, 2025

“Brodie Johnston is a special kid. He’s a freak and a talent as a freshman,” said Vanderbilt shortstop Jonathan Vastine.

After Ole Miss had cut the lead to one in the top half of the fifth, Jacob Humphrey snuck one over the right-field wall to lead off the bottom of the fifth, getting the run back and making it a 3-1 game.

It would be the eventual game-winner because in the ninth, Ole Miss outfielder Isaac Humphrey crushed a solo shot to make it 3-2, which got the late-game dramatics going. But Hawkes is one of the many Vanderbilt pitchers to come up clutch on the mound, which was the story on Sunday.

It started with Austin Nye, who got the Commodores going in the right direction with four strong innings. But in the fifth, Nye could not finish the inning after getting the first two out,  allowing back-to-back free passes. After the second one, Corbin emerged from the dugout and pulled his starter. 

Left-hander Miller Green allowed an RBI single that put Ole Miss on the board before Corbin pulled him from the game. Luke Guth entered as the third pitcher of the inning and retired the first batter he faced on a fly out to end the frame.

Guth went another 1.1 innings before Levi Huesman got the final two outs in the seventh, getting Collin Reuter to ground into an inning-ending double play. 

“Sawyer [Hawkes] got the last out, which is all that matters. And he did a nice job. But between him and Luke [Guth] and [Levi] Huesman coming in getting a double play, it’s the fourth time he’s done that this year, where he’s come into a game and got a double play and got us out of it. He’s been very opportunistic,” Corbin said.

The group has ranked among the best in the country all year, but at times, people still overlook it. Vanderbilt had nobody earn 2025 All-SEC First Team accolades, and only one guy earned Second Team – Hawkes.

Nobody from the Commodores pitching staff earned the SEC All-Tournament despite finishing the week with a 1.08 team ERA.

“We should have had someone for the All-Tournament team this tournament and for the regular season too,” Nelson said. ” We got snubbed, but it’s all right, we’ll stay flying under the radar.”

With Vanderbilt locking up the SEC, there is a good chance this team will be the No.1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, which starts on May 31.

Even if they are not the top seed, they will be one of the top eight national seeds, which is pivotal for teams looking to make a run to Omaha. Securing one of those guarantees is not only a regional but a super-regional too.

“It’s awesome playing in front of those fans, it is unreal, I love everyone there,” said Nelson on playing at home in the postseason.