Dec. 20, 2012
Nashville, Tenn. – Vanderbilt will open the 2013 season as the third-ranked team in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball.
The Commodores return 23 lettermen from a year ago and have added the country’s top-ranked recruiting class. Head Coach Tim Corbin has 10 players on the roster that started at least 10 games during the Commodores’ 2012 campaign while 41 of the team’s 63 starts on the mound are back led by junior Kevin Ziomek’s team-best 16 starts. The return of seniors Connor Harrell and Mike Yastrzemski, who both turned down professional contracts last summer, bolster strong junior and sophomore classes.
Offensively, the Dores return eight of the squad’s starting nine from a year ago with the only loss at shortstop with departed All-SEC performer Anthony Gomez. Vanderbilt’s starting rotation returns intact with Ziomek expected to join fellow junior T.J. Pecoraro and sophomore Tyler Beede, who all combined for 35 starts in 2012.
The Commodores host Long Beach State on opening weekend for a three-game series starting February 15. The season’s first three weeks will feature 14 Vanderbilt games in Nashville with the lone road game coming at cross-town rival Belmont on February 19. The Dores’ final non-conference weekend series comes at No. 6 Oregon March 8-10 before opening Southeastern Conference play at Auburn March 15-17. No. 24 Florida visits Hawkins Field March 22-24 for the first SEC games at Vanderbilt.
Arkansas is ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll and leads five SEC teams in the top eight and 10 in the poll’s top 40. Vanderbilt is scheduled to play eight teams in the preseason poll.
Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 615.322.GOLD or by visiting vucommodores.com.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(As of Dec. 20, 2012)
1. Arkansas
2. North Carolina
3. Vanderbilt
4. LSU
5. UCLA
6. Oregon
7. South Carolina
8. Kentucky
9. Stanford
10. Oregon St.
11. N.C. State
12. San Diego
13. Mississippi St.
14. Oklahoma
15. TCU
16. Arizona St.
17. Georgia Tech
18. Arizona
19. Florida St.
20. Rice
21. Texas
22. Louisville
23. Cal. St. Fullerton
24. Florida
25. Mississippi
26. Texas A&M
27. Clemson
28. Miami, Fla.
29. Georgia
30. U.C. Irvine
31. Missouri St.
32. Wichita St.
33. New Mexico
34. Kent St.
35. Virginia
36. Southern Mississippi
37. East Carolina
38. Coastal Carolina
39. Dallas Baptist
40. Pepperdine
