Watch: Vanderbilt-Stanford College World Series Game Ends in Wild Pitch Walk-Off

The College World Series game between Vanderbilt and Stanford ended in a wild way (literally). On [...]

By Brian Jones

The College World Series game between Vanderbilt and Stanford ended in a wild way (literally). On Wednesday night, Stanford pitcher Brendan Beck threw a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied at five and runners on second and third. The wild pitch led to Vanderbilt's Spencer Jones scoring on third, and the Commodores keep their championships hopes alive after winning the elimination game.

"We've done some crazy things this year, down in the last inning, two outs," Vanderbilt player Enrique Bradfield said after the game, per the Associated Press. "Nobody's on to start the inning. We get to two outs, we get a baserunner, another base hit follows. So we knew it was always possible." Vanderbilt, the defending champions, avoided their shortest stay in the College World Series in their five appearances since 2011. In order for them to reach this year's championship game, they will have to beat N.C. State Friday and Saturday.

"It was just a moment," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said when talking about the team being down by one run in the ninth before rallying for the win. "I don't typically talk to them during the course of the game. I went out to the mound to change pitchers and I didn't think the eyes looked good. And when I came back in, (Vanderbilt pitching coach Scott Brown) said the same thing. So just didn't want to go down — if we were going to lose, we're going to lose playing aggressively and I just didn't think we were. It was more of a challenge than anything else."

For Stanford, their 2021 season comes to end. They finished the year with a 39-17 record and reached the College World Series for the first time since 2008. After the game, Stanford coach David Esquer said it was a game to remember despite being on the losing side.

"One of those classic World Series games," Stanford coach David Esquer said. "Of course, it didn't fall our way. I've been part of a few of them, and some have gone my way. That happens in Omaha sometimes. You get in those late innings and you have a magical ending for one team or the other. No regrets on our side."

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