June 4, 2013
It couldn’t end yet. Not after an SEC-record 26 conference wins. Not after another 50-win season. Not after being ranked No. 1 in the country and not at Hawkins Field.
On Sunday, the Commodores looked lifeless on offense as Georgia Tech pitched a 5-0 shutout. The loss set up a win-or-go home game Monday against the Yellow Jackets as the Commodores faced the potential of seeing their historic season end much too soon.
But with their backs against the wall and teetering on the edge of elimination, the Commodores answered in a resounding way with a very “Vanderbilt-like” win.
Most everything the Commodores have done so well this season, they did again Monday night to near perfection.
Vanderbilt had timely hits (see: Conrad Gregor’s two-out RBI single in the first), the pitching staff kept opposing batters off balance (see: Philip Pfeifer throwing five scoreless innings), base runners were aggressive (see: Mike Yastrzemski tagging up from second on a medium-depth fly ball in the fifth inning), defenders made diving plays (see: Xavier Turner preventing a would-be double with a diving stop and then throwing out Zane Evans at first) and batters frustrated the opposing team with perfectly placed bunts (see: Rhett Wiseman in the seventh inning).
Conrad Gregor’s Two-Out RBI Single in the First Inning
On Sunday, Vanderbilt spoiled its best scoring opportunity of the game in the first inning when Tony Kemp reached third with one out. The missed opportunity set the tone for the rest of the game.
Vanderbilt vowed not to miss out on another early opportunity again, especially not two days in a row. With two outs, Mike Yastrzemski and Connor Harrell drew walks against Georgia Tech ace Buck Farmer. Conrad Gregor followed by lacing a single up the middle that was knocked down by shortstop Mott Hyde.
The ball slowly rolled a few feet away from Hyde and as he rose to his feet and grabbed the ball, Yastrzemski was already dashing towards home. Hyde fired the ball to the catcher, but the throw was slightly offline toward third base and Yastrzemski slid in before the tag could be applied.
“Im pretty sure I ran through Coach’s stop sign and he would have taken my head off if I hadn’t somehow been safe,” Yastrzemski said. “In that situation, I had taken off to steal and I saw a ball hit up the middle and I thought it was going to be a base hit, so I put my head down and ran and it just happened to work out in that situation.”
The run gave Vanderbilt the early momentum and gave the Commodores an early boost of confidence after failing to score a run on Sunday.
“So many times energy can be derived from the first inning of a game,” Head Coach Tim Corbin said. “Whether we score that run last night and whether it makes a big difference, who knows, but the emotional flow that you get with a big play is important and it just got the bunker, the dugout ready to go when he scored that run.”
Philip Pfeifer Throws Five Scoreless Innings as Starter
The primary question heading into Monday’s game was, who would start for the Commodores? On Sunday night, Corbin stated that either lefty Philip Pfeifer or righty T.J. Pecoraro would get the start Monday.
After watching film of Georgia Tech and speaking with his coaching staff, Corbin decided to go with Pfeifer Monday morning. Corbin said the decision had less to do with him seeing Georgia Tech struggle against some left-handed pitchers this season than Pfeifer’s ability.
“It wasn’t so much with him being left-handed as it was his ability to change rhythms,” Corbin said of his decision to start Pfeifer. “(I) thought the change-up was going to be as important a pitch as the breaking ball. I thought the fastball inside was going to be as important as the fastball away, so it was more of an executional thing and his ability to do it, and he did.”
The decision proved to be a good one, as the sophomore tossed five scoreless innings, scattering four hits.
Pfeifer allowed the leadoff batter to reach base in his first three innings, but each time he bared down and prevented the Yellow Jackets from doing any more damage.
Pfeifer’s performance came one week and a day after he started the SEC Tournament Championship against LSU, allowing three runs in 3.2 innings of work. It also came one year after Pfeifer came out of the bullpen and served up a three-run home run to the only batter he faced in Vanderbilt’s season-ending loss to N.C. State in the Raleigh Regional Championship.
“It has been a big week for Phil Pfeifer,” Corbin said. “He had to pitch a championship game against LSU and I was glad that he personally got the opportunity to pitch tonight and pitch so well.”
“I felt like it was just kind of my turn to defend the program,” Pfeifer said. “All of our pitchers were ready to throw today and I’m glad they chose me, and I’m glad I was able to perform for my teammates.”
Mike Yastrzemski Tags up on a Medium-Depth Fly Ball in the Fifth Inning
There are many reasons why Mike Yastrzemski was voted by the media as the MVP of the Nashville Regional, and base running was one of them.
On Monday, Yastrzemski’s outstanding base running ability led to two important runs that would not have been if not for his aggressiveness or intelligence on the base paths.
As aforementioned, Yastrzemski scored in the first inning from second on a single by Conrad Gregor in which the shortstop knocked down the ball, but could not track down the ball and throw home in time. In the fifth inning, he scored on a single by Rhett Wiseman, but would likely have been stopped at third base if not for tagging up on a medium-depth fly ball to center field.
After advancing to second on a single by Connor Harrell, Yastrzemski made the risky decision to tag up and take third base on a fly out. Georgia Tech’s Brandon Thomas caught the ball and hesitated a split second, seeming surprised to see Yastrzemski motoring to third. Thomas fired the ball in and it was cutoff by shortstop Mott Hyde, who may have been equally surprised to see Yastrzemski heading to third.
Rhett Wiseman followed with a single that scored Yastrzemski and gave Vanderbilt a 3-0 advantage. The third out of the inning was made by the very next batter.
“We teach base running, and teaching with me is Mike Yastrzemski,” Corbin said. “I use him because he is very knowledgeable, he pays attention, he is a sponge and he is very serious.”
Xavier Turner Makes a Diving Stop and Throws Out the Batter at First
Vanderbilt turned in a number of outstanding defensive plays on Monday. First it was Vince Conde snagging a line drive and flipping it to second to turn a double play in the first inning. Then it was Connor Harrell getting an outstanding jump on a line drive to center field by Thomas Smith and making the play look routine, while stranding another runner in scoring position in the third inning.
Topping them all was the diving stop made by Xavier Turner at third base in the top of the fourth inning. Three-hole hitter Zane Evans stepped to the plate and ripped a ball down the third-base line, which would have been extra bases had it not been for Turner making a diving stop to his right.
Using his quick reflexes, Turner dove, gloved the ball, rose to his feet and fired a strike to Conrad Gregor at first base to get Evans.
It was the first inning of the game that the leadoff batter did not reach base for Georgia Tech, and almost certainly prevented a run from scoring as Yellow Jackets singled twice that inning.
Rhett Wiseman’s Bunt in the Seventh Inning Causes Georgia Tech Trouble
Oh, those pesky bunts.
Vanderbilt laid down four sacrifice bunts Monday, including three in the seventh inning and none did more damage than Rhett Wiseman’s.
After Conrad Gregor led off the inning with a single and a stolen base to reach second, Wiseman laid down a bunt that pitcher Joe Wiseman fielded and fired wildly to first base. The ball flew past the bag and down the right-field line as Gregor scored.
“It’s a pressurized play and what happens is you speed up the internal clock of the defender and unless you practice a certain way and unless you practice that way, it’s tough to pull off in a game,” Corbin said.
Wiseman reached second on the errant throw and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Vince Conde. Wiseman then scored the second run of the inning on a safety squeeze by Jack Lupo.
Add it all together and Coach Corbin and the Commodores were able to improve on their 1-3 mark in Regional Championship games since 2007 and advance to the Super Regionals next weekend against Louisville.
For the Commodores, it is their third trip to the Super Regionals in the last four seasons. Vanderbilt lost in three games to Florida State in 2010 and won the first two games of its home series with Oregon State in 2011.
Vanderbilt’s season lives on another day, but the Commodores hope Monday was just another step along the way before they reach their final goal.
After the game concluded, there was no dogpile on the mound or excessive outward signs of emotion. The team knew how close they came to having their dream season end all too soon, and because of this it was more a sense of relief that was shared by the Commodores at the conclusion of the game.
“I’d say is is a relief,” Corbin said when asked to describe his emotions after the win. “I can’t tell you I am joyful. I can’t tell you my wife is joyful. … It is a relief because you put so much into it. I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that all I can think about (are) doors closing behind you.”
