There may not have been a better way to open the 2026 college baseball season than Friday afternoon’s heavyweight clash between Vanderbilt and TCU.
In a game that featured several future first-round draft picks, plenty of opposite-field power, momentum swings and late-inning drama, the Commodores traded blows with the Horned Frogs for nine innings before ultimately falling 5-4.
For Vanderbilt, the result stings, particularly because of how winnable it felt throughout. Tim Corbin’s squad is used to doing the small things to win, even when being outslugged by its opponents. On Friday, however, all four of Vanderbilt’s runs came via solo home runs, and a defensive miscue proved decisive in a one-run game.
Here are some key takeaways from the season-opener:
Barczi Breakout — and a Blunder
It’s hard to fully capture in words what Colin Barczi did at the plate on Friday. Even with a predicted breakout, a three-homer performance on opening day wasn’t on many bingo cards.
After hitting into an unlucky groundout on a 115-mph batted ball in the first inning, Barczi left no doubt the rest of the afternoon. In his next four plate appearances, the junior launched three home runs over the left-field fence at Globe Life Field. They weren’t cheap shots, either. On top of the hard-hit grounder in the first inning, Barczi posted exit velocities of 111, 112, and 118 on his three home runs — numbers most MLB players will never reach.
What an insane day at the plate for Colin Barczi.
The catcher slugged three home runs, posting exit velos of 118, 115, 112, and 111 today on four separate batted balls.
The best game from a Vanderbilt player at the plate since ___?
pic.twitter.com/QTeYqQst3M
The raw power has always been there for Barczi, but consistently accessing it in-game has been the question. Friday offered a convincing answer. His ability to pull the ball in the air — an area that’s been inconsistent in the past — was on full display. If that trend holds, he completely transforms the ceiling on Vanderbilt’s offense.
“He's just a better hitter,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said in regard to Barczi. “He's just a better offensive player all the way around.”
Still, the game will also be remembered for Barczi’s eighth-inning throwing error on a dropped third strike that allowed the go-ahead runs to score. It was an uncharacteristic mistake for the usually defensively sound Barczi, and, despite Corbin’s argument that Noah Franco obstructed the throw, the mistake ultimately swung the game. Still, his blunder shouldn’t overshadow one of the most dominant offensive performances from a Commodore in a long time.
Connor Fennell was… Connor Fennell
The pitching matchup between Connor Fennell and Tommy LaPour was stylistically fascinating. While LaPour was impressive through five innings, striking out five and allowing two runs on the solo long balls to Johnston and Barczi, Fennell outdueled him — even by a small margin.
Fennell too allowed two solo home runs but was otherwise efficient and effective, striking out 7 and walking 1 across 5.1 innings of work and just 71 pitches. Despite concerns that hitters may have figured out his funky delivery, Fennell induced a game-leading 11 swings and misses, many coming on his elevated four-seam fastball, which touched 91 mph in the first inning and slowly declined as the game went on. The long ball will always be a risk with Fennell due to his lack of velocity and thin pitch mix, but Friday suggested his unconventional approach and delivery can still be effective.
There was also another promising development in Fennell’s arsenal: an improved slider. The right-hander threw six sliders averaging 82 mph with sharper horizontal action on the afternoon. Harnessing that pitch as a third weapon outside of his fastball and changeup will be key for Fennell moving forward — otherwise, hitters will be able to sit on the fastball and square them up, like they did at times Friday.
Holcomb’s First Look in Center
One of the biggest lineup questions entering the spring was who would handle center field. On Opening Day, it was Braden Holcomb.
For the most part, the junior looked natural. He tracked down several balls in the gap, including a deep drive off the bat of Lucas Franco in the third inning that required real range to get to.
Braden Holcomb looked like he's been playing center field his whole life tracking down this flyball.
Vanderbilt may have found its center fielder:
pic.twitter.com/vDF03TPdFf
There was a blemish — a misplay in the eighth that allowed Franco to reach third on a triple. Growing pains are expected with a position switch, especially in a high-stakes opener. Overall, though, Holcomb looked capable of sticking there, which would provide Vanderbilt with flexibility elsewhere in the lineup.
Bullpen Emergers
The bullpen did its job Friday, taking over for Fennell in the sixth inning and allowing one earned run the rest of the way. Jakob Schulz looked excellent — striking out Strosnider and Noah Franco — which is especially important considering Vanderbilt only has four left-handed pitchers on the roster. With Miller Greene’s status in question, Schulz developing as a weapon late in games would be a significant development for Scott Brown’s pitching staff.
England Bryan may have been the most impressive arm of the day. Entering with runners on second and third and one out, he likely strands them if not for Barczi’s throwing error. The sophomore made some mechanical changes over the offseason, and his new arm slot helped him generate 19 inches of induced vertical break (IVB) on the fastball. His cutter, though, was most impressive, generating three whiffs on four swings and showing potential to neutralize hitters from both sides.
Luke Guth struggled, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs (1 earned) in his 1 inning of work. After not allowing a single home run last season, the right-hander was knocked around a bit. Still, it’s a small sample, and he’s expected to play an important role going forward.
A Lineup Surprise
Carter Johnstone, batting leadoff and playing second base, was the surprise in Corbin’s opening day lineup. The surprise wasn’t necessarily Johnstone; it was the absence of Mike Mancini.
Mancini had a strong Fall season and appeared to be the favorite for the job, but he remained on the bench against TCU. Johnstone went 0-for-5 with a strikeout which, albeit a very small sample, could give way to Mancini re-entering the lineup tomorrow against Texas Tech.
The Commodores will look to bounce back against Texas Tech tomorrow, with Austin Nye getting the ball at 11 a.m. CST.
Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
