NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 4 Vanderbilt caps the month of April and looks to continue its winning ways, welcoming Tennessee Tech to Hawkins Field for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Tuesday. Tickets are available for as low as $7 and are available through VUCommodores.com or by calling (615) 322-GOLD.
The contest can be seen on the SEC Network Plus via the WatchESPN app with Kevin Ingram and Andrew Harris on the call. Fans can also tune in to Joe Fisher on WNSR 560 AM/95.9 FM and VUCommodores.com.
Vandy (34-9) enters Tuesday having won seven consecutive games. The active streak is the sixth-longest nationally. The Commodores boast a 10-1 record in midweek games including posting eight consecutive wins. A season ago, Vandy went 6-5 through its first 11.
The Dores are coming off a three-game sweep of No. 25 Auburn. Vanderbilt moved its record to 24-4 at Hawkins Field and improved to 460-163-1 (.737) all-time at the facility including a 359-104-1 (.737) mark since the start of the 2007 season.
Tennessee Tech (18-24) dropped 2-of-3 last weekend against Belmont and has come up short in five of its last six contests. The Golden Eagles are tied for fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .275 batting average but are 10th in the league with a 6.17 ERA.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
– TUESDAY: RHP Mason Hickman (5-0, 2.04 ERA) vs. LHP Connor Adams (2-1, 7.80 ERA)
PROMOTIONS
Vanderbilt will host its Bark in the Park, allowing a unique opportunity for fans to bring their dog to the game. All fans who wish to bring their dog must register and will be required to enter through the outfield and sit in sections M and N. More information can be found here.
The first 1,000 fans through the gate will receive a Walker Buehler bobblehead. Fans can also pick up Buehler’s “Dores in the Show” poster at the marketing table.
NEED TO KNOW
Vandy and Tennessee Tech meet for the 69th time in the history of the programs Tuesday. The Dores lead the all-time series 45-23 and are 10-4 against the Golden Eagles at Hawkins Field but are looking to snap a two-game losing streak including a 6-4 shortcoming a season ago.
Vanderbilt’s JJ Bleday has swatted 15 home runs in his last 20 games, moving his season total to 21. The junior is tied with Tulane’s Kody Hoese’s for the national lead. Bleday is second in program lore for single-season homers and is one shy of Pedro Alvarez’s program record of 22 set in 2006.
Vanderbilt leads the SEC in slugging (.513) and on-base percentage (.413). The Dores are second in average (.316), hits (479) and doubles (100). Vandy is the only Power 5 program to have three players with 45-plus RBIs (Bleday, Philip Clarke and Ethan Paul).
UP NEXT
Vanderbilt returns to SEC play with a visit to South Carolina beginning Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Saturday’s middle game is set for 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU and Sunday’s finale begins at 12:30 p.m. CT. All three contests can be heard on WNSR 560 AM/95.9 FM and VUCommodores.com.
