NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three Vanderbilt student-athletes have been chosen as preseason All-SEC members while the Commodores are tabbed the favorites to win the league, the conference office announced Thursday.
Catcher Philip Clarke and second baseman Austin Martin are among the 13-member first team while outfielder JJ Bleday is one of three outfielders on the second team. Clarke and Martin are coming off freshman All-America seasons and Bleday was named the top pro prospect among Cape Cod League competitors this summer.
The Dores picked up nine first-place votes from the league’s head coaches and 87 points. Florida is picked to finish second in the SEC East and third overall with four first-place votes and 81 points.
Vandy returns eight of nine positional players and opens the season one week from Friday in Talking Stick, Arizona. The squad faces Virginia, Cal State Fullerton and TCU before returning to Hawkins Field for the home opener on Feb. 20 against Evansville.
The Commodores ranked no lower than third nationally in the six preseason polls. Vandy is the favorites to win it all according to D1Baseball, Baseball America and NCBWA. The Dores checked in at No. 2 by USA Today and Collegiate Baseball and No. 3 by Perfect Game.
Nonconference single-game and season tickets on sale
Outfield single-game tickets are now on sale for Vanderbilt’s 19 nonconference home games at Hawkins Field through VUCommodores.com or by calling the ticket office at 615.322.GOLD (4653).
Tickets are priced at $14 not including fees. The Commodores will host 15 consecutive nonconference tilts beginning with the home opener on Feb. 20 against Evansville.
A limited number of outfield season tickets are still on sale as well. Tickets are priced at $99 – or $2.91 per game – for the Commodores’ 34 home outings including 15 matchups against the Southeastern Conference.
