OMAHA, Neb. — Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin doesn’t get into ranking the performances of his ace Carson Fulmer.

Rest assured, most of them are pretty good.

Fulmer was sensational again Monday night while limiting Virginia to two hits over 7 2/3 shutout innings in the Commodores’ 5-1 victory in the opener of the College World Series finals.

Vanderbilt (51-19) can repeat as national champion with one more win. The Commodores will send Phil Pfeifer (6-4) to the mound Tuesday night.

Fulmer led Vanderbilt to the brink of the title with another outstanding performance. He’s gone at least five innings in 20 straight starts. He allowed four hits and three runs in a strong outing against Cal State Fullerton in Vandy’s CWS opener and was even better against Virginia.

Fulmer’s outing against the Cavaliers was his last as a collegian. He was the No. 8 overall draft pick by the Chicago White Sox.

“It’s such a great memory for him to pitch his final game,” Corbin said. “That eighth inning was the right time to get him. Personally, I was glad to be able to do that so he would be able to address the crowd and the crowd could address him.”

The Vanderbilt section gave him a standing ovation as he descended the dugout steps. His virtuoso performance put Vandy in position to become the seventh team to win back-to-back national titles, and the third to do it in the last 10 years.

Fulmer (14-2) was the Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year after leading the conference in wins, strikeouts and ERA.

Virginia (42-24), the Commodores’ finals opponent for the second straight year, scored in the ninth to end the Vandy bullpen’s streak of 22 shutout innings.