May 12, 2016
VANDERBILT RE-VU
An early deficit was too much to overcome for Vanderbilt against Louisville in the Battle of the Barrel in an 8-5 loss on Tuesday. Ethan Paul drove in a career-best four runs, including a three-run homer. The Commodores were no-hit on Saturday by Kyle Simonds at Texas A&M to drop the series finale 3-0. Patrick Raby took his first career loss, giving up two runs over 4.2 innings. Vanderbilt evened the series on Friday night with a 6-1 win behind Kyle Wright, who picked up the win with seven scoreless innings. Jeren Kendall singled three times and stole three bases. The Commodores were shutout for the third time this season in a 1-0 loss at Texas A&M on Thursday night. Jordan Sheffield was the tough-luck loser giving up one unearned run over seven innings.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, May 13
RHP Jordan Sheffield (7-3, 2.09) vs. RHP Logan Shore (9-0, 2.32)
Saturday, May 14
RHP Kyle Wright (6-3, 1.89) vs. LHP AJ Puk (3-3, 3.04)
Sunday, May 15
TBA vs. RHP Alex Faedo (9-1, 3.10)
FIGHTING FLORIDA
Vanderbilt travels to Florida to take on the top-ranked Gators with all-time record of 71-130-1 dating back to 1927. Last year, No. 10 Florida took two-of-three from No. 9 Vanderbilt in Nashville with the Commodores and Carson Fulmer winning the opener 2-0 behind a complete game from Fulmer before the Gators evened the series with a 7-3 win the next day. The Gators scored six runs over the final four innings, including two in the 10th inning, to rally by Vanderbilt for a series win in the finale. The Commodores’ last trip to Gainesville produced a series victory with the two teams trading shutouts in the first two games, including another Fulmer shutout on Friday night, before the Dores exploded for a 16-2 win on Saturday.
LEADING OFF
Jeren Kendall has been quite comfortable in the top spot in Tim Corbin’s lineup. In 11 games as the leadoff hitter this year, Kendall is hitting .413 (19-for-46) with seven extra-base hits, 14 runs and 11 RBI. Kendall has occupied the two-spot in the order the most with 32 starts and has hit third in the order six times.
DOWN THE STRETCH
The Commodores have been good down the stretch in recent years. In the final two Southeastern Conference series over the last four years the Dores are 16-8 with six series victories. This time a year ago through 49 games, Vanderbilt was 35-14 overall with a 17-7 record in league play before finishing 4-3 over the team’s final seven games to enter the postseason 39-17. While the 2015 offense produced a better team batting average to this point (.298 to .275), the current pitching staff has the edge in team ERA (2.88 to 2.98).
RABY, SHEFFIELD, WRIGHT ON NATIONAL PITCHER OF YEAR LIST
Three Vanderbilt pitchers have been named to the National Pitcher of the Year watch list with Patrick Raby, Jordan Sheffield and Kyle Wright all making the list. Raby has been outstanding in his freshman season carrying a 6-1 record with a 2.09 ERA in 12 games, eight starts, into the weekend. Sheffield has been dominant, leading the team with seven wins and 92 strikeouts. Wright has been stellar with an ERA of 1.89 through his first 12 starts. The Vandy trio leads a contingent of 10 Southeastern Conference pitchers with the Dores’ three pitchers on the list matching Louisville for the most in the nation. Carson Fulmer became the second Commodore pitcher to win the award last year, joining David Price (2007).
BASE THIEF
Jeren Kendall stole three bases in last Friday’s win at No. 2 Texas A&M to move his season total to a career-high 23. Kendall’s 23 stolen bases are the most since the legendary Tony Kemp stole 34 bases on his way to being named the SEC Player of the Year. Kendall’s 23 stolen bases are tied for the league lead entering the weekend with Missouri’s Jake Ring, LSU’s Cole Freeman and Tennessee’s Nick Senzel.
DORES (STILL) ON TV
The Commodores are in the middle of a streak of seven consecutive games on national television. All three games of the Dores’ first trip to Texas A&M were televised with last Thursday night’s game airing on ESPN2 and the final two games of the series showing on SEC Network. The Battle of the Barrel on Tuesday against No. 6 Louisville was broadcast on ESPNU. This weekend’s trip to No. 1 Florida will feature games on SEC Network (Friday and Sunday) and ESPN2 (Saturday) along with the SEC Network’s SEC Now and Paul Finebaum Show show on site.
