Vanderbilt baseball’s series opener against Missouri is still in limbo after being suspended in the ninth inning, tied 7-7, after a Braden Holcomb home run that got lost in fog was changed to a ground-rule double.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Commodores (27-22, 10-14 SEC) blew a 6-1 lead, giving up six runs. In the top of the ninth, Korbin Reynolds singled and Brodie Johnston walked to put two runners on with two outs for Holcomb. He hit a ball to deep right field, but the ball was lost in the foggy, wet conditions and the outfielders, umpires and TV cameras could not see the ball.
It was originally ruled a home run on the field, but after the umpires met for several minutes and consulted with the SEC office, the call was ruled a ground-rule double. That tied the game for Vanderbilt but did not allow Johnston to score.
Play was immediately suspended and is set to resume at 4 p.m. CT on May 9 from Taylor Stadium with runners on second and third and two outs in the top of the ninth.
According to the broadcast, Trackman data had the ball hit 108 mph and traveling 379 feet, which would have indicated a home run to that part of Taylor Stadium.
Holcomb wrote on X that he was “100% positive that ball went over the fence.”
no. 100% positive that ball went over the fence. https://t.co/ktnmd7hE9b
— Braden Holcomb (@bradenholcomb11) May 9, 2026
Vanderbilt fan Murray Harris said on X that he found a ball past the right field fence, caked in mud with no other baseballs in the area. The Taylor Stadium playing surface has turf.
I found Holcomb’s HOMERUN ball past the RF fence at the foot of the indoor football facility. I didn’t see any other baseballs in the area. I thought it was gone from my seat & our bullpen said it cleared the fence too. This is also evidenced by the mud I found on the ball ⚓️⬇️ https://t.co/Nczwujq3lNpic.twitter.com/9SUhpAOyFL
— Murray Harris (@MurrayHarris_) May 9, 2026
CJ Olson, who is the director of salary cap management for the athletic department, posted math equations on X claiming that it was not possible for a ball hit at that exit velocity and launch angle to be a home run. Olson, according to his LinkedIn, has a master’s degree in applied statistics and data analysis.
To get max bounce at the LA (18.9) + EV (108), it would have needed to only go 292 feet (87 ft off) and would’ve only bounced 6.63 feet.
The fences are ~7 ft – that LA and EV could not result in a ground rule double.
Note: not super confident on the math, so you’ve been warned pic.twitter.com/J80UIO6VhY
— CJ Olson (@CJOlsonFB) May 9, 2026
The NCAA rule book does not clearly address what happens on a ball no one can see beyond instructing umpires to seek help from other umpires if they cannot fully see what happened.
It is unclear if a formal video review was initiated in this situation, but if it was, NCAA rules state that the decision was final and the contested call may no longer be argued or appealed. Game protests due to video review calls are not permitted.
In 2025, there was a somewhat similar play in an Auburn vs Tennessee game when Ike Irish hit a ball that was ruled a home run in heavy rain, however, it appeared that the ball may have hit off the wall instead. That play was not reviewed.
A Vanderbilt spokesperson said that the team has not received an explanation of the play.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt vs Missouri home run controversy on ball lost in fog