NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt baseball heads up to Minneapolis this weekend for three games at the 2023 Cambria College Classic. The Dores will face Nebraska, Maryland and Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium with all three contests streaming on BTN+.
LAST TIME OUT: Vanderbilt heads to Minneapolis winners of its last two games.
- Vandy took two of three from No. 17 UCLA at home last weekend. The Dores held the high-powered Bruin offense to just four runs on the weekend.
- Vandy’s starting pitchers (Carter Holton, Hunter Owen and Devin Futrell) threw 15.1 scoreless innings, striking out 18 while allowing just five hits.
- The Dores trailed by four to Austin Peay heading into the seventh inning Tuesday night but plated eight runs in the bottom of the frame to defeat the Governors 11-7.
SERIES PREVIEW: Vanderbilt will be playing in a professional stadium for the second time this season when the Dores visit U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, for the
Cambria College Classic.
- Vanderbilt opened the 2023 campaign with three games at the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.
- Vanderbilt and Maryland will be meeting for the second time. The first was an 8-0 Vanderbilt win in 2004.
- Vanderbilt and Minnesota last face each other in 1924 with Minnesota winning 6-3.
- Friday’s game will mark the first meeting between Vanderbilt and Nebraska.
- The matchup with No. 18 Maryland will be Vanderbilt’s seventh game against an opponent ranked by at least one national poll.
BIG INNINGS: Vanderbilt has scored three or more runs in an inning nine times through the first nine games.
- Vandy has scored eight runs in an inning twice this season. The Dores plated eight in the second inning against Texas (Feb. 19) and did it again in the seventh inning against Austin Peay (Feb. 28).
A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN: Enrique Bradfield Jr. stole his 97th career base vs. UCLA (Feb. 26) to break the program record set by Charles DeFrance (1980-82).
- Bradfield is the NCAA (DI,II, III) active career leader.
- The junior outfielder’s 98 career stolen bases ranks seventh in SEC history. Tennessee’s Mike Basse (1989-91) holds the all-time record of 145.
- Bradfield stole 46 or more bases in each of his first two seasons. He was 46-for-46 in 2022 after going 47-53 as a freshman in 2021.
HOT STARTS: Vanderbilt’s offense has reached double-digit hits four times through the first nine games.
- Sophomore Jonathan Vastine has a hit in eight of nine games so far. Vastine is 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
- Junior Enrique Bradfield Jr. has reached base in eight consecutive games. He reached base safely five times Tuesday against Austin Peay.
- Freshman RJ Austin leads the Dores with five multi-hit games.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Where the Dores rank statistically among NCAA DI teams.
3rd – Double plays turned (10)
12th – Hit by pitch (20)
16th – Hits allowed per nine (6.58)
39th – Stolen bases (13)
16th – Strikeouts per nine (12.2)
6th – Triples (5)
Individuals
Enrique Bradfield Jr. – 32nd – Walks (9)
RJ Schreck – 8th – Hit by pitch (8)
Calvin Hewett – 18th – Stolen bases (6)
Cunningham/Maldonado – 7th – Saves (2)
ON THE MOUND: Vanderbilt’s pitchers were dominant in the three-game series against No. 17 UCLA last weekend.
- Carter Holton threw 5.2 scoreless innings in a combined shutout with Bryce Cunningham on Friday.
- Hunter Owen went 4.2 innings on Saturday, allowing two hits and zero runs.
- Devin Futrell and Nick Maldonado allowed just one run on Sunday. Futrell held the Bruins scoreless through five and Maldonado struck out eight of the 11 batters he faced in a three-inning save.
WHAT’S NEXT: Vanderbilt returns home for 10 consecutive games in Nashville.
- The Dores host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday and Evansville on Wednesday followed by a three-game series vs. Loyola Marymount.
- Vandy will play two games at First Horizon Park, home of the Nashville Sounds. Vanderbilt will play Belmont on March 14 and Lipscomb on March 21.
