Vanderbilt Commodores (13-9, 2-1 SEC) at #6 Mississippi State Bulldogs (17-4, 1-2 SEC)
Friday @ 7 p.m. • SEC Network • 102.5 The Game
Saturday @ 6 p.m. • SECN+ • 102.5 The Game
Sunday @ 1 p.m. • SECN+ • 94.9 The Fan
Weekend Preview: Vanderbilt plays its first road SEC series this weekend at No. 6 Mississippi State.
- This series is Vandy’s second of seven consecutive weekends against opponents ranked in the D1Baseball poll.
- Vanderbilt and Mississippi State will be meeting for the 137th time since 1913 on Friday. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 76-59-2.
- Vandy has won three of the last four regular-season series against the Bulldogs since 2018.
- The Dores’ last trip to Starkville resulted in a three-game sweep in 2023 where Vandy outscored Mississippi State 55-15.
- Vanderbilt has won seven straight games in Starkville since 2014.
Power Surge: Vanderbilt’s 52 home runs are second among DI programs, trailing only Georgia’s 69.
- The Dores are slugging .603, good for second in the SEC and fourth nationally.
- Braden Holcomb leads the team with 11 long balls followed by Brodie Johnston with seven. Holcomb ranks sixth among DI players while Johnston ranks 13th in the SEC.
- Holcomb’s 33 RBI are fifth in the SEC and 12th nationally.
- Colin Barczi belted three home runs in the season-opener against No. 10 TCU to become the first Commodore since Connor Kaiser in 2018 with a three-homer game. Barczi’s homers traveled a combined 1,340 feet with each surpassing 430 feet.
- Vanderbilt has hit four grand slams this season, already surpassing last season’s total.
- The Commodores have homered in all but three games this season.
- Vandy’s seven homers in the win over North Dakota State on March 6 was the most in a game for the Dores since 2018.
SEC Freshman of the Week: Wyatt Nadeau was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on March 16.
- Nadeau earned his first collegiate win in just his second start, shutting down LSU over seven innings on March 14.
- The freshman totaled 10 strikeouts and only allowed one run over the first six innings of his outing.
Brooks Wallace Award Watch List: Ryker Waite was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List on March 4.
- Waite is one of 100 shortstops on the list. He is hitting .333 through 22 games this season with eight extra-base hits, 16 RBI and 26 walks.
- The Arizona native has two homers, a triple and five doubles.
- He currently leads the team in walks and OBP while starting all 22 games at shortstop.
- Waite’s 26 walks are second in the SEC, fifth in DI.
- The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.
Walk This Way: Vanderbilt’s 136 walks rank 10th among DI programs. The Dores own a .426 OBP, good for 36th nationally.
- Ryker Waite leads the team with 26 walks. The shortstop ranks second in the SEC and fifth nationally. Waite’s .521 OBP is seventh in the SEC.
- Second on the team in walks is Logan Johnstone with 21. Johnstone is fifth in the SEC and 21st in DI. The transfer is sporting a .455 OBP.
- After drawing 10 walks last season, Brodie Johnston has already matched that total as a sophomore.
- Speaking of getting on base, Waite has reached safely in all 22 games this season.
Turning Two: Vanderbilt has turned 24 double plays this season, more than any SEC team and third in DI.
- The Dores have at least once double play in 18 of 22 games.
Brodie Barrels: Brodie Johnston ranks top-10 in the SEC in slugging and OPS.
- The sophomore leads the SEC with 11 doubles, is fifth in total bases, 12th in batting average and 14th in home runs.
- Johnston’s 15 long balls in 2025 were the most by a Vanderbilt freshman since Pedro Alvarez hit 22 in 2006.
- He was named MVP of the 2025 SEC Tournament as a freshman.
