How Vanderbilt beat Fullerton: Inning by inning

Tennessean columnist Dave Ammenheuser's inning-by-inning account of Vanderbilt's 4-3 win over Cal State Fullerton in the College World Series opener in Omaha, Neb. The game was suspended in the sixth inning on Sunday; it was completed on Monday afternoon.

Vanderbilt will face TCU on Tuesday in a 7 p.m. winner's bracket game. Fullerton will meet LSU on Tuesday in a 2 p.m. elimination game.

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TCU beat LSU 10-3 in the bracket's earlier game Sunday.

LINEUPS

Starting lineup Fullerton:

Josh Vargas LEF, Tyler Stieb CF, Davi Olmedo-Barrera DH, Jerrod Bravo 3B, Tanner Pinkston 1B, Dalton Blaser RF, Timmmy Richards SS, A.J. Kennedy C, Taylor Bryant 2B, Thomas Eshelman P

Starting lineup for Vanderbilt:Ro Coleman DH, Rhett Wiseman RF, Dansby Swanson SS, Zander Wiel 1B, Will Toffey 3B, Bryan Reynolds CF, Jeren Kendall LF, Karl Ellison C, Tyler Campbell 2B, Carson Fulmer P

FIRST INNING

TIED 0-0

Fullerton: Fulmer opens the game by striking out Vargs. Stieb flys out to center and Olmedo-Barrera strikes out. Fulmer needed 14 pitches to get the Titans 1-2-3.

Vanderbilt: Eshelman opens the inning by striking out Coleman swinging and Wiseman looking. Swanson then lines out to center.

SECOND INNING

TIED 0-0

Fullerton: Bravo lines out to shortstop Swanson, Pinkston grounds out to shortstop Swanson, Blaser grounds out to Swanson.

Vanderbilt: Wiel and Toffey strike out; Reynolds singles to left for the first hit of the game. But Kendall strikes out to end the inning.

THIRD INNING

FULLERTON TAKES 1-0 LEAD

Fullerton: Richards opens the inning with a walk then is balked to second base. Kennedy's sacrifice bunt moves Richards to third base. Bryant singles to center, scoring Richards with the game's first run. Richards advances to second on a wild pitch. Vargas then flies out to left field. Bryant then moved to third base on another wild pitch. Stieb grounds out to second base to end the inning.

Vanderbilt: Ellison singles to left; Campbell grounds into a force play as Ellison is out at second and Campbell reaches first; Campbell steals second as Coleman bats. Coleman then grounds out to shortstop as Campbell advances to third base. Wiseman struck out to end the inning.

FOURTH INNING

FULLERTON HOLDS 1-0 EDGE

Fullerton: Fulmer strikes out the size: Olmedo-Barrera, Bravo and Pinkston.

Vanderbilt: Swanson pops out to right; Wiel grounds out to second; Toffey pops out to center field. Through four innings, Eshelman has thrown 63 pitches, allowing just two hits.

FIFTH INNING

FULLERTON EXTENDS LEAD TO 3-0

Fullerton: Blaser pops out to left; RIchards walks; Kennedy then doubles to move Richards to third. Bryant strikes out. With Vargas batting, Richards scores on a wild pitch, Kennedy moves to third base. Vargas singles to score Kennedy, pushing the Titans up 3-0. With Stieb batting, Vargas is caught stealing. 3-0 Fullerton.

Vanderbilt: Reynolds pops out to left; Kendall doubles to right field; Ellison strikes out (7th of the game for Eshelman). Campbell ends the inning with a pop out to third base.

SIXTH INNING

DELAY OVER: VANDY PULLS WITHIN 3-1

Fullerton: Stieb flies out to left; Olmedo-Barrera doubles down the right-field line. Bravo struck out on a full-count pitch; Pinkston grounds out to end the Titans part of the inning.

Vanderbilt: Coleman flies out to center; Wiseman doubles to deep center; Swanson struck out. With Wiel batting, Wiseman moved to third base on a passed ball. With Wiel batting and 3-ball, 2-strike count, the umpires removed the players from the field because lightning is nearby. The game was suspended at 9:22 p.m.

The game resumed at 2:05 p.m.:

When action resumed on Monday afternoon, Chad Hockin replaces Eshelman. Wiel promptly blasts a run-scoring double to right-center field to score Wiseman. Toffey then walks. Reynolds struck out to end the inning, but Vanderbilt pulls within 3-1.

SEVENTH INNING

FULLERTON LEADS 3-1

Fullerton: John Kilichowski is on the mound. Dustin Vaught pinch-hits for Blaser, Vaught pops out. Richards strikes out. Kennedy walks. Bryant pops out to short.

Vanderbilt: Tyler Peitzmeier enters the game as the Fullerton pitcher, replacing Hockin. Kendall strikes out, Ellison grounds out. Campbell fouls out to first base.

EIGHTH INNING

FULLERTON CONTINUES TO HOLD 3-1 LEAD

Fullerton : Vargas grounds out; Stieb fouls out; Olmedo-Barre pops out.

Vanderbilt: Coleman strikes out swinging; Wiseman grounds out to second; Swanson pops out to left field.

NINTH INNING

KENDALL HOMER WINS IT FOR VANDY

Fullerton: Bravo singles to right field. Pinkston moves Bravo to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Kyle Wright relieves Kilichowski. Vaught pops out to right field. Richards flies out to left.

Vanderbilt: W iel leads off with a double to right field. Toffey strikes out. Reynolds doubles into left field corner, scoring Wiel. Jeren Kendall hits two-run homer to right field to win the game.