Oct. 1, 2012
The Commodores held their first live scrimmages of the fall over the weekend at Hawkins Field.
On Saturday, the Dores held a five-inning scrimmage in the afternoon after hosting a kid’s clinic on the new turf during the morning. The offense was quick out of the gate led by Jack Lupo and Will Cooper. Lupo doubled in a run and scored on Cooper’s two-run double. Freshman Kyle Smith displayed some power with a double to deep right field and later knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Mike Yastrzemski welcomed freshman right-hander Carson Fulmer to college baseball with a sharp line drive back through the box in the first inning. Fulmer, however, recovered with a double play to end the first before turning in two solid innings. Fellow freshman Pat Delano pitched two innings giving up one run on two hits while inducing several ground balls.
Sunday’s scrimmage lasted just three innings but that did not stop Cooper from picking up two more hits and driving in a run. Joel McKeithan added two hits and a run along with freshman Xavier Turner, who went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Sophomore lefties Jared Miller and Philip Pfeifer each turned in strong outings. Miller allowed one run on three hits over two frames while Pfeifer fanned two in his lone inning of work.
The Dores get back to work on Tuesday afternoon at Hawkins Field with more scrimmages scheduled for this week.
Crimson and Crean
Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean and his staff attended the Commodores’ Friday practice. Crean was in Nashville for a speaking engagement and wanted to check out how the Dores practiced. Crean and Head Coach Tim Corbin have become friends over the last year based on coaching philosophies. Crean joins a long and growing list of Friends of Tim Corbin, who routinely talks to former Lipscomb basketball coach Don Meyer and has visited Oregon’s football practices with fellow New Hampshire native and Ducks’ head coach Chip Kelly.
International DJ
Associate head coach/pitching coach Derek Johnson has been an international sensation on the speaking circuit over the last year, making multiple trips to Europe to speak about baseball. During practice last week Coach Johnson was able to share what the Dores do on a daily basis with a group of coaches and players from The Netherlands National Team. Two coaches and three players from the 18U team observed and talked to coaches and players during the week learning valuable baseball lessons. Johnson is expected to return the favor and go to Holland prior to the Commodores’ season.
Black & Gold Series times set
Vanderbilt’s annual Black & Gold Series will be held over homecoming weekend at Hawkins Field. The Commodores will play Thursday (10/25) and Friday (10/26) night at 6:30 p.m. before taking Saturday off for the Dores’ football game against UMass. The series concludes on Sunday (10/28) at 1 p.m.
