Vanderbilt beats Virginia to win College World Series

OMAHA, Neb. — The moment Vanderbilt fans have dreamed about their entire lives became a reality on Wednesday evening.

For the first time in Vanderbilt men's athletics history, the Commodores are national champions.

Vanderbilt center fielder John Norwood forever etched himself into Commodores lore with the game-winning home run in the top of the eighth inning, turning a 97-mph fastball from first-round pick Nick Howard around and planting it into the bullpen behind left field to break a tie ballgame.

The Commodores finished off the College World Series on Wednesday with a 3-2 win over Virginia in the deciding game of the national championship series.

When asked where this moment ranks in his life's memories, Norwood said, "Number one. ... Always."

"Anything is possible when we stick to our guns. ... I thought we were the best team out there," second baseman and leadoff hitter Dansby Swanson said.

"I love my teammates and love what we do," said starting pitcher Carson Fulmer.

After celebrating the win, Vanderbilt players raised coach Tim Corbin up on their shoulders.

A shower of gold confetti rained down on TD Ameritrade Park after Adam Ravenelle retired the final hitter. Then the crowd chanted, "SEC!, SEC!"

Corbin shook up his lineup on the final day of the season in search of offensive answers after the Commodores had scored just three runs in their last 15 innings of play. Everyone except Swanson received a new spot in the batting order from the night before.

All of that rearrangement was necessary to put Norwood in the box at that moment in time. He began the tournament hitting sixth and finished batting fourth.

Norwood's home run was just his third of the season and the first Commodores home run since Zander Wiel hit one against South Carolina on May 16.

Ravenelle worked the Commodores out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth inning, inducing a come-backer and a ground ball to shortstop Vince Conde to end the Cavaliers threat. Ravenelle also pitched the ninth inning for the save.

Vanderbilt faced elimination three times in the NCAA tournament, and each time Corbin's team responded with a victory the next day.

This time, it was thanks to a brilliant effort from Fulmer, who gave the Commodores 5⅓ innings of one-run ball while pitching on three days rest. He didn't factor into the decision, but his 103-pitch outing went a long way in putting Vanderbilt in a position to win the game.

Winning on this stage was a long-time coming for a program that has put 73 players into professional baseball over the past decade, including 12 players that have reached the major leagues.

One-by-one the great Commodores baseball teams of the past fell short of reaching this crowning achievement.

From the heartache of a pinch-hit home run from Michigan's Alan Oaks off Vanderbilt ace David Price to end the 2007 Commodores' dream season short of Omaha, to the 132-pitch effort by Sonny Gray that left Vanderbilt just short when the 2011 team was eliminated from the program's first-ever trip to Omaha, Vanderbilt supporters had the carrot dangled in front of them only to have it taken away, the moment that had eluded them may have seemed as though it was never going to come.

This team may not have been the most talented group Corbin has ever coached, but it proved to be the most resilient.

Vanderbilt jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning by forcing the issue early with a double steal by Swanson and Bryan Reynolds. Virginia catcher Robbie Coman's throw to second base sailed into center field, allowing Swanson to score the first run of the game. Reynolds was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

The Commodores extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning with an infield single to shortstop by Conde that allowed Norwood to score from third base.

Virginia tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Daniel Pinero singled to right-center off Fulmer, bringing home Coman for the Cavaliers' first run of the game. Fulmer was removed for freshman reliever Hayden Stone. Virginia tied the game when Commodores shortstop Conde misplayed a low liner off the bat of Kenny Towns, allowing Pinero to reach home safely.

Stone worked out of the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. He earned the victory.

Nick Cole writes for The Tennessean in Nashville, a Gannett affiliate.