April 30, 2009
Vanderbilt (27-17, 10-10 SEC) at South Carolina (27-18, 9-12)
Carolina Stadium (9,000) in Columbia, S.C.May 1 at 6 p.m. CT
TV: SportSouth; Radio: 560 AMMike Minor (LHP, Jr.) 4-3, 3.33 vs.
Sam Dyson (RHP, So.) 6-3, 5.04May 2 at 6 p.m. CT
TV: SportSouth; Radio: 560 AMDrew Hayes (RHP, Jr.) 4-2, 4.22 vs.
Nolan Belcher (LHP, Fr.) 2-3, 4.17May 3 at 12:30 p.m. CT
TV: SportSouth; Radio: 560 AMTBA vs. TBA
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Series History vs. South Carolina
South Carolina leads 40-17 all-time in a series that dates back to 1992. VU has won the last four regular season series dating back to the 2005 campaign. The Dores have won the last two series in Columbia (2005, 2007) and 10 of the last 14 games overall between the clubs.
Last Two Seasons
May 23, 2008: Vanderbilt 7, South Carolina 5 (Hoover, Ala.)
March 16, 2008: Vanderbilt 10, South Carolina 4 (Nashville)
March 15, 2008: South Carolina 16, Vanderbilt 7 (Nashville)
March 14, 2008: Vanderbilt 4, South Carolina 3 (13) (Nashville)
April 1, 2007: South Carolina 8, Vanderbilt 2 (Columbia)
March 31, 2007: Vanderbilt 12, South Carolina 1 (Columbia)
March 30, 2007: Vanderbilt 4, South Carolina 3 (12) (Columbia)
Polls
Neither team is ranked this week.
The Coaches
VU’s Tim Corbin is 266-147 in his seventh season in Nashville. He is 372-285 in 13 seasons overall. He is 11-11 against the Gamecocks. South Carolina’s Ray Tanner is 567-261 in his 13th season in Columbia. He is 962-434-3 in 22 years overall. He is 28-12 all-time against Vanderbilt.
Radio/TV/Internet
All three contests can be heard in the Nashville area on 560 AM WNSR and on the Internet via www.vucommodores.com. Joe Fisher will call all the action. Fans can also sign up for text updates via www.twitter.com/vandybaseball and follow livestats through www.vucommodores.com.
SportSouth will televise all three games this weekend. Dave Neal (play-by-play) and former Gamecock Trey Dyson (analysis) will call the action. Check local listings for availability in your area.
What’s On Tap
Vanderbilt opens up May at South Carolina in the first of two straight Southeastern Conference series road trips. The Commodores and Gamecocks will play at 6 p.m. CT on Friday and Saturday and at 12:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. All three games will be televised on SportSouth (Channel 437 on Dish Network, Channel 649 on DirecTV). Check with local cable providers for availability in your area.
Scouting South Carolina
South Carolina is 27-18 overall and 9-12 in SEC play after getting swept at Florida over the weekend. The Gamecocks also had the midweek off for finals and enter the weekend on a four-game losing streak.
SC, like the Commodores, lost a majority of its offensive firepower with five starters moving on due to graduation or the amateur draft. Head coach Ray Tanner is in his 13th year and has guided the team to nine consecutive NCAA appearances. This year the Gamecocks moved into Carolina Stadium, a $35-plus million facility with a capacity of 9,000 fans.
Leftfielder DeAngelo Mack leads the team with a .363 batting average to go with 11 homers and 45 RBI. First baseman Nick Ebert is the top power source with 15 homers and 49 RBI to go with a .331 batting average. As a team, South Carolina is hitting at a .302 clip with 72 homers and 324 runs scored (7.2 per game).
Sophomore right-hander Sam Dyson (6-3, 5.04 ERA) will get the start Friday night with freshman left-hander Nolan Belcher (2-3, 4.17 ERA) scheduled to go on Saturday. Sunday’s starter is to be determined. Senior southpaw Alex Farotto has served as the closer this year with five saves to go with a 5.19 ERA. He has 33 strikeouts and 17 walks in 26.0 innings pitched. The team has a 5.21 team ERA on the year with 357 strikeouts and 203 walks in 397.1 innings of work.
Brian Harris Named SEC Player Of The Week
Shortstop Brian Harris was named Southeastern Conference Hitter of the Week after sparking Vanderbilt to a 4-1 record last week.
The former Montgomery Bell Academy standout was 10-for-22 (.455) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored from the leadoff spot. He drew a 3-2 bases loaded two-out walk to bring in the tying run in the ninth inning against Big East power Louisville. VU then went on to win 4-3 in 10 innings to snap a four-game losing streak.
Harris accounted for three RBI in that road win and then went 8-for-13 (.615) with two doubles, two homers, four RBI and five runs scored in leading VU to a three-game sweep of Mississippi State. He is now tied for second in the SEC with 16 doubles while batting .329 overall with six homers and 36 RBI.
It is the first time Harris has garnered the award in his career and he is the first Commodore to get hitter of the week this season. Mike Minor was SEC Pitcher of the Week on April 13, while Sonny Gray (4/6) and Aaron Westlake (3/2) both earned SEC Freshman of the Week plaudits earlier in the year.
Brewer Back On Track
Sophomore hurler Russell Brewer has been strong on the mound over his last six outings, not allowing a run of his own in eight innings of work. He has 14 strikeouts and just two walks in that span while allowing just two hits. Both of those came in a 3.1 inning relief stint against Alabama last Saturday in which he struck out six with a walk.
He struck out the side in an inning of work against Austin Peay (4/21) and then held Louisville (4/22) in check for 1.2 innings, striking out three in hitless relief to pick up his first win on the year. Brewer struck out the lone batter he faced against Mississippi State (4/24) to pick up his third save of the year.
The North Carolina native has lowered his ERA, which was at 5.19 after a start against Austin Peay on March 24, to 2.79 entering this weekend’s action against Mississippi State.
Sonny Gray Invited To USA National Team Trials
USA Baseball announced Tuesday that freshman pitcher Sonny Gray has been invited to the USA National Team Trials to be held June 15-24 in Cary, N.C.
Gray is one of five freshmen on the initial invite list of 17 players and one of seven pitchers invited nationally. The Smyrna, Tenn., native leads the Commodores with five saves while posting a 3-1 record and 3.86 ERA. He is second on the team with 16 appearances, all in relief, with 33 strikeouts and 12 walks in 28.0 innings. He struck out a career-high six batters in 2.2 innings to pick up a save in his last outing against Mississippi State (4/26).
The National Team Trials will be comprised of 36 collegiate players vying for a spot on the final 22-man roster to be announced on June 24.
Vanderbilt has had a player on the USA National team the last five years dating back to the 2004 campaign. Ryan Mullins (2004), David Price (2005-06), Pedro Alvarez (2006), Casey Weathers (2006), Ryan Flaherty (2007) and Mike Minor (2007-08) all have played on Team USA over the last five years. Weathers also pitched on the 2008 Olympic Team squad that competed in Beijing last August.
Commodore Tidbits (4/27)
Vanderbilt went 4-1 on the week with the lone loss, a one-run defeat on the road against Austin Peay last Tuesday. VU then won four in a row, starting with a come from behind win against Big East front-runner Louisville last Wednesday on the road. The win was the first for the Commodores after trailing heading into the ninth (0-13 previously) … The team took the momentum of the win into the Mississippi State series and swept the Bulldogs in three games for the second straight season. VU has now won the last seven meetings dating back to the 2007 SEC tourney and 11 of 13 dating back to the 2004 campaign … The 29 runs scored against MSU was the most in a conference series this year, besting the 25 scored against Auburn … Brian Harris led the way on the week, going 10-of-22 (.455) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored in five games back in the lead off spot. He drew a 3-2 bases loaded walk to bring in the tying run in the ninth with two outs against Louisville in a game the Commodores would win 4-3 in 10 innings. He accounted for three RBI in that road win and then went 8-for-13 (.615) with two doubles, two homers, four RBI and five runs scored in leading VU to a sweep of Mississippi State. He is now tied for second in the SEC with 16 doubles … Aaron Westlake was 8-for-18 (.444) on the week with two homers, a double, and eight RBI. His homers came in a big way over the weekend, hitting a grand-slam homer in Friday’s win over Mississippi State and then adding a three-run homer in Saturday’s series clincher. He was 5-for-11 (.455) with a double, two homers and eight RBI in the three games against the Bulldogs. The California native leads the team with a .368 batting average and is among the SEC leaders in hits with 60 … Steven Liddle had a big week as well, going 10-for-23 (.435) with two doubles, two homers, seven RBI and 11 runs scored from the two-hole in the lineup. He went 7-for-14 against MSU with two homers, six RBI and eight runs scored … Curt Casali went 6-for-14 (.429) with two homers and five RBI against the Bulldogs. He now leads the team with eight homers and 44 RBI … Freshman second baseman Riley Reynolds went 7-for-19 (.368) with two doubles and two runs scored on the week … VU hit .322 in five games with nine homers (all on the weekend) and 41 runs scored … Mike Minor picked up his first save since his freshman year against Louisville, recording an out to end the game. He then struck out career-high 13 batters against Mississippi State on Friday. He gave up four runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings and walked three in the winning effort … Drew Hayes picked up his fourth win of the year on Saturday, holding the Bulldogs to two runs on five hits in 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and three walks … Russell Brewer made three relief appearances on the week and did not allow a hit while striking out seven with no walks in three innings. He picked up the win against Louisville and then struck out the only batter he faced in Friday night’s win to pick up his third save of the year … Nick Christiani allowed two earned runs in 7.1 innings of relief work on the week with five strikeouts and one walk. He got the win against MSU on Sunday, allowing one run in 3.1 innings with a strikeout … Sonny Gray earned his team best fifth save of the year on Sunday, allowing one run on three hits in 2.2 innings while striking out six and walking none … Sean Bierman earned his first collegiate save on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits in 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and no walks … The pitching staff sported a 4.00 ERA on the week with 53 strikeouts and 13 walks in 45.0 innings.
Minor Makes Move
In a season full of ups and downs, one of the pitchers who has remained consistent is junior southpaw Mike Minor. The Chapel Hill native has gone a minimum of seven innings in eight of his 10 starts on the year including five of his last six against Kentucky (7.0), Auburn (7.0), Florida (7.0), Arkansas (8.0) and Mississippi State (7.2). He went 5.2 innings in his first start of the season against Stanford and left the game with a 5-1 lead that was later relinquished. On March 27 against Auburn, he limited the league’s leading home run team to just five singles in a 12-3 win over the Tigers. He struck out 11, one short of his career high of 12 against Alabama last season. He recorded a new-career high of 13 strikeouts against Mississippi State last Friday. In Minor’s last six starts, he is 3-2 with a 3.16 ERA with 58 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 42.2 innings of work.
Prior to the season he was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List, both honors given to the top player in college baseball. Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball tabbed him a second-team preseason All-American while the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association had him on its third team.
Last season Minor tied for the team lead in wins with seven, finishing with a 7-3 record with two complete games. As a freshman in 2007, he went 9-1 and sports an 20-7 career mark into the South Carolina series.
Minor served as the ace of the USA Baseball National team squad that went 24-0 over the summer and captured the FISU World University Championships in the Czech Republic in July. He went 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA during the tour with 37 strikeouts and 13 walks in a team high 36 innings.
The Chapel Hill, Tenn., native two biggest performances came against the Cuban National team in a span of a week last July. The Cuban contingent was the same team, minus one player, that captured the 2004 Olympic gold medal and was the runner-up at the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Minor threw 6.1 innings of four-hit shutout baseball in a 1-0 win on July 6 at the Haarlem Baseball Week In Harleem, Netherlands. He followed that up in his next start by allowing just an unearned run on four hits over six innings in the gold medal clinching game of the tourney on July 13.
Minor completed his two-year National team run with an 8-2 record and a 1.17 ERA with 74 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 69 innings of action.
Vanderbilt Newcomers Among Nation’s Best
For the second time in four seasons, Vanderbilt’s baseball recruiting class has been ranked in the Top 3 in the country.
Baseball America ranked the class second in the country while Collegiate Baseball had the class ranked at No. 3. Both publications listed Arizona State as having the No. 1 class, while Collegiate Baseball had Oregon at No. 2 with a 35 member class in its first season back since being eliminated as a varsity sport after the 1980-81 season.
13 members of the class reported to school in August with three other players choosing the professional ranks. Of the 13 that are in school, eight were drafted and decided to play collegiately.
The coaching staff put together the class in anticipation of a mass exodus following the 2008 season. The Commodores lost seven offensive players who had started over the last three years, including first round draft picks Pedro Alvarez and Ryan Flaherty as well as the school’s all-time hits leader Dominic de la Osa.
Of Perfect Game’s Top 250 prospects for college, high school and Puerto Rico, 32 players from high school did not sign professional contracts and are attending Division I schools or junior colleges. Of the 32, Vanderbilt had five players, the most of any school in the country.
Facility Upgrades Are Complete
Two seasons ago temporary bleachers were put out in right field due to Vanderbilt’s first ever NCAA regional at Hawkins Field. The success of that regional set in motion plans to add permanent bleachers from right to the left-field “Green Monster”. Those bleachers were added in the offseason along with 200 additional chairback seats down the first base line, bringing the seating capacity to 3,700. Single-game tickets are available for both the chairbacks and bleacher seats. Fans can purchase them via www.vucommodores.com or via the ticket office at (615) 322-GOLD.
Also added in the Baseball Fieldhouse is a new Hall of Honor showcasing the top players and teams in Vanderbilt history. Video highlights of recent seasons are also available via a touchscreen monitor in the facility.