March 5, 2007
Friday’s Home Game vs. Illinois-Chicago Changed to 6 p.m. CT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Vanderbilt baseball picked up another No. 1 national ranking today as the first regular season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll put the Commodores on top.
VU remained ranked No. 1 for the third straight week by Collegiate Baseball and the publication also tabbed junior lefthander David Price as one of its National Pitchers of the Week. He struck out 13 in a complete game effort against Xavier last Friday. Price gave up two runs on seven hits and walked just one in improving to 3-0 on the year. The Murfreesboro native has has now struck out 41 with six walks in 26 2/3 innings of work this season.
The Commodores, off to their best start in school history at 14-0, went 4-0 last week with two shutouts. They will take on Western Kentucky Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Bowling Green. Freshman southpaw Mike Minor (1-0, 1.84 ERA) will take the hill for the Commodores and is coming off a stellar performance against Austin Peay last Tuesday. He threw eight innings of three-hit shutout baseball against the Governors with eight strikeouts and a walk.
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series against the Hilltoppers 31-17, with the teams splitting the home and home series a year ago.
The USA Today poll, made up of 31 coaches from across the country, had Vanderbilt ranked No. 10 in its preseason poll. Baseball America and Rivals.com have the Commodores at No. 2 this week with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Poll to be released later today.