May 28, 2009
| 2009 NCAA LOUISVILLE REGIONAL No. 3 Seed Vanderbilt (34-25) vs. No. 2 Seed Middle Tennessee (43-16) Jim Patterson Stadium (2,500) |
May 29 at 2 p.m. CT
TV: None; Radio: 560 AMMike Minor LHP, Jr. (5-4, 3.72 ERA) vs.
Kenny Roberts LHP, Jr. (10-1, 2.98 ERA)
NCAA Louisville Regional Central with Bracket
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Series History vs. Middle Tennessee
Vanderbilt leads 81-39 in a series that began in 1926. The Commodores have won four of the last six meetings dating back to the 2007 season. The teams have split the season series three out of the last four years (2006, 2007, 2009).
Last Three Seasons
April 14, 2009: Vanderbilt 15, MTSU 7 (Nashville)
April 7, 2009: MTSU 8, Vanderbilt 0 Murfreesboro)
April 2, 2008: Vanderbilt 6, MTSU 5 Murfreesboro)
March 26, 2008: Vanderbilt 12, MTSU 10 (12) (Nashville)
April 18, 2007: MTSU 11, Vanderbilt 8 (Murfreesboro)
March 28, 2007: Vanderbilt 14, MTSU 2 (Nashville)
Polls
Middle Tennessee is ranked No. 24 by Rivals.com and No. 25 by Baseball America. Vanderbilt is not ranked.
The Coaches
VU’s Tim Corbin is 273-155 in his seventh season in Nashville. He is 379-293 in 13 seasons overall. He is 8-6 against the Blue Raiders. MTSU’s Steve Peterson is 701-546-3 in his 22nd season in Murfreesboro and 854-642-3 in 28 seasons overall. He is 15-28 against Vanderbilt.
Radio/TV/Internet
The Commodores games in the NCAA Louisville Regional 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. UofLSports.com will have live webcasts and live stats of every game in the tourney.
What’s On Tap
No. 3 seed Vanderbilt opens NCAA tournament play at the Louisville Regional against a familiar foe, No. 2 seed Middle Tennessee, on Friday at 2 p.m. CT at Jim Patterson Stadium. If the Commodores win, they would face the winner of the No. 1 seed Louisville/No. 4 seed Indiana game on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. If VU loses to MTSU, then the team would face the loser of the Cardinals/Hoosier game on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
The Louisville Regional Ticket Order Form is available online at www.UofLSports.com and the Louisville Ticket Office is taking ticket orders by phone on by calling (502) 852-5863.
All-tournament tickets, which include admission to the entire Louisville Regional, will cost $90 for reserved chairback seats, $64 for bleacher seats, $50 for berm seats and $38 for students with a valid ID. Children age 1 and under will be admitted free of charge.
Single game tickets for the Louisville Regional will go on sale on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium. Single game tickets for the Louisville Regional are priced at $18 for reserved chairback seats, $10 for bleacher seats, $8 for general admission berm seats and $6 for students with a valid ID. All tickets purchased at Jim Patterson Stadium must be paid for with cash.
2009 NCAA Louisville Regional Schedule
Jim Patterson Stadium – Louisville, Ky.
Friday, May 29
2 p.m. CT – Game 1: No. 2 Middle Tenn. vs. No. 3 Vanderbilt
6 p.m. CT – Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Indiana
Saturday, May 30
2 p.m. CT – Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
6 p.m. CT – Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Sunday, May 31
2 p.m. CT – Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4
6 p.m. CT – Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5
Monday, June 1
6 p.m. CT – Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary)
NCAA Tournament History
Vanderbilt is making its eighth NCAA tournament appearance this weekend and will look to win its second regional championship under Tim Corbin. The Dores are 12-14 all-time in NCAA play and have made the field a school record four straight times.
Last season the Commodores went 1-2 as the No. 2 seed in the Tempe Regional. They lost to No. 3 seed Oklahoma in the first round, before rebounding to win against No. 4 seed Stony Brook. The Dores were then eliminated on a walk-off homer to Oklahoma.
In 2007, VU hosted for the first-time in school history as the No. 1 National Seed. VU made the regional championship game for the second straight year, but lost to Michigan.
In 2006, the Dores advanced to the championship round of the NCAA Atlanta Regional before falling to host and eventual College World Series team Georgia Tech.
In 2004, VU swept three games at the Charlottesville, Va. Regional, before falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Texas in a Super Regional in Austin.
Vanderbilt is 9-8 in NCAA tournament games under Tim Corbin. Prior to his arrival in 2003, the Commodores were 3-6 in three previous appearances.
NCAA Tournament Results (12-14)
2008 Tempe, Ariz. (Host Arizona State)
May 30 Oklahoma 8, Vanderbilt 5
May 31 Vanderbilt 9, Stony Brook 4
June 1 Oklahoma 11, Vanderbilt 10
2007 Nashville, Tenn. (Host Vanderbilt)
June 1 Vanderbilt 2, Austin Peay 1 (11)
June 2 Michigan 4, Vanderbilt 3
June 3 Vanderbilt 11, Austin Peay 5
June 3 Vanderbilt 10, Michigan 7
June 4 Michigan 4, Vanderbilt 3 (10)
2006 Atlanta, Ga. (Host Georgia Tech)
June 2 Vanderbilt 5, Michigan 2
June 3 Georgia Tech 7, Vanderbilt 3
June 4 Vanderbilt 5, Michigan 4
June 4 Georgia Tech 8, Vanderbilt 4
2004 Charlottesville, Va. (Host Virginia)
June 4 Vanderbilt 7, George Mason 3
June 5 Vanderbilt 11, Princeton 1
June 6 Vanderbilt 7, Virginia 3
2004 Super Regional – Austin, Texas
June 11 Texas 15, Vanderbilt 3
June 12 Texas 10, Vanderbilt 2
1980 Tallahassee, Fla. (Host Florida State)
May 22 Western Kentucky 15, Vanderbilt 4
May 23 New Orleans 8, Vanderbilt 2 (game completed on May 24/rain)
1974 Starkville, Miss. (Host Mississippi State)
May 23 Vanderbilt 2, East Carolina 1
May 24 Miami 7, Vanderbilt 1
May 25 Georgia Southern 5, Vanderbilt 3
1973 Starkville, Miss. (Host Mississippi State)
May 24 Vanderbilt 6, Georgia Southern 2
May 26 Vanderbilt 4, North Carolina State 2
May 26 Georgia Southern 5, Vanderbilt 2
May 28 Miami 6, Vanderbilt 5
No. 2 Seed Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee (43-16) is making its first trip to an NCAA Regional since 2004. The 2009 Sun Belt Tournament Champions are making its 14th NCAA Regional appearance and will be the No. 2 seed in the Regional for the first time in school history. MTSU has never been higher than a No. 3 seed at Regionals.
The Blue Raiders put together a sensational season, going 43-16 and sharing the regular season Sun Belt title under 22nd year head coach Steve Peterson.
The 43 wins this season is a new school record. MTSU was nearly unbeatable at home this season, going 28-4 at the newly renovated Reese Smith Field. Middle Tennessee started the season winning 21 of its first 25 games.
MTSU led the conference in hitting and was second in team ERA and boast one of the top players in the nation this season, in Sun Belt Conference Player of Year, Bryce Brentz. Brentz, a Golden Spikes Semifinalist, leads the Raiders in batting average (.482) hits (106), home runs (28), doubles (19), RBI (72). Brentz’s .482 average, .968 slugging% and 28 home runs ties him with Alabama’s Kent Matthes for first in the country. Five other Blue Raiders were named All-Sun Belt following the regular season, including senior third baseman Rawley Bishop. Bishop is a nice compliment to Brentz as his numbers speak for themselves. Bishop is hitting .404 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI. Seven of MTSU’s starting position players are batting .325 or higher.
On the mound, the Blue Raiders are led by junior lefthander Kenneth Roberts and reliever Coty Woods. Roberts, the team’s No. 1 weekend starter, earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors after going 8-1, 3.12 ERA during the regular season, while Woods has a school record 14 saves this season. Roberts was named the Sun Belt Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after going 2-0 with a 2.07 ERA, including a complete game in two starts at the tournament. MTSU will throw Roberts against the Commodores Friday. It will mark the first time Roberts has faced Vanderbilt in his career.
No. 1 Seed Louisville
The 17th-ranked Cardinals are tabbed as the region’s No. 1 seed after winning the Big East Championship title game and posting the best regular season in school history.
Louisville (44-15) is making its third straight NCAA Regional appearance and is coming off an 11-3 win over Connecticut in the Big East Championship. It marks the second time in the school’s history, including second time in three years, that they will play in it’s home stadium (Jim Patterson Stadium) during postseason play.
In 2007, the Cardinals took two of three from Oklahoma State in a Super Regional to advance to advance to their first ever College World Series. Heading into NCAA Regional play the Cardinals have won 15 of its last 17 games. The Cardinals lost only two weekend series during the regular season, going 1-2 against Seton Hall (3/27-28) and Notre Dame (4/24-4/26).
At the plate, Louisville is once again led by two-time BIG EAST Player of Year, Chris Dominguez. The junior third baseman leads the team in home runs (23), RBI (79) and stolen bases 18. Five other Cardinals earned ALL-BIG EAST honors, including the 2009 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Justin Marks. In just three years, Marks (10-2, 3.50 ERA) is the school’s career leader in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
This year squad has displayed a constant strong pitching and a powerful offense throughout. At the plate, Louisville is led by the trio of Phil Wunderlich, Andrew Clark and Dominguez. Those three have combined for 42 percent of the team’s run total, 45.4 percent of team’s RBI total and 62% of the team’s home runs. The Cardinals led the BIG EAST in home runs with 81, while boasting the league’s top pitching staff. Louisville’s pitching staff ranked first in ERA, while holding nearly a 3-1 strikeout to walk ratio as a team.
No. 4 Seed Indiana
Indiana (32-25) is making its first NCAA Championship appearance since 1996 after winning the Big Ten Tournament title on Saturday night with a 13-2 win over Minnesota. The Hoosiers rolled through the Big Ten Tournament winning all four of its games in decisive fashion, outscoring its opponents 47-9 during the tournament.
Junior pitcher Eric Arnett and junior catcher Josh Phegley were both named Golden Spikes Award semifinalists earlier this week. Arnett is 12-1 with a 2.58 ERA with 103 strikeouts and 35 walks in 101.0 innings. The right-handers is expected to get the start against Louisville on Friday. Phegley is hitting .352 with a team leading 17 homers and 66 RBI. Freshman designated hitter/outfielder Alex Dickerson leads the team with a .379 average and has provided power as well with 14 homers and 57 RBI. The Hoosiers are hitting .329 as a team with 61 homers and 421 runs scored (7.4 per game).
Junior left-hander Matt Bashore forms an impressive 1-2 punch on the mound with Arnett. Bashore is 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA with 101 strikeouts and 29 walks in 90.2 innings of work.
Junior right-hander Chris Squires is the team’s closer with eight saves in 19 relief appearances. He has a 4.01 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 18 walks in 51.2 innings.
As a team the Hoosiers sport a 5.08 ERA with 424 strikeouts and 208 walks in 501.1 innings.
Commodore Tidbits
Vanderbilt went 3-1 at the Southeastern Conference tournament and advanced to the championship game for the third time in four years and the fourth time in the last six years … VU defeated No. 2 LSU, No. 20 South Carolina and No. 20 Arkansas en route to the championship game … The Commodores hit .299 in the tourney with six homers and 22 runs scored … Andrew Giobbi went 8-for-15 (.533) with two homers, a double and three runs scored … Jonathan White went 7-for-16 (.438) with a double, three runs scored and two RBI … Steven Liddle went 7-for-16 (.438) with a homer, double and four runs scored in the tourney … Aaron Westlake still leads the conference in hitting with a .377 batting average with eight homers and 53 RBI … The pitching staff sported a 3.18 ERA in the four games in the tourney with 33 strikeouts and 12 walks in 34.0 innings … Mike Minor pitched his second complete game in three starts in the 4-1 win over LSU on May 20. He allowed just one run on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks … Caleb Cotham, pitching with a torn meniscus, threw a seven-inning complete game in the 11-1 win over Arkansas on May 23. He allowed just one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and a walk … Chase Reid picked up his first collegiate save in 5-4 win over South Carolina on May 21. He came into the game with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth and recorded a pop out and strikeout to end the game … Sean Bierman returned after nearly a month out of action and pitched three innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts and three walks … Russell Brewer (1.1) and Richie Goodenow (1.0) did not allow a run in relief work … Freshman fireballer Sonny Gray recorded career highs in innings pitched (7.0) and strikeouts (11) in the Commodores win over SC … Andrew Giobbi (catcher), Steven Liddle (outfield) and Mike Minor (pitcher) were named to the SEC all-tournament team at their positions.
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. Season and 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.