March 11, 2011
VANDERBILT RE-VU
The Commodores earned a hard-fought 9-5 win over Kennesaw State Wednesday night. Riley Reynolds led the Dores with three its and Anthony Gomez knocked in two runs. The Vanderbilt offense enjoyed its biggest output of the season in a 12-1 win over Wofford Tuesday night. Eight different Commodores had at least one hit in support of starter T.J. Pecoraro, who earned the win. The freshman fanned eight with no walks over five innings. The Commodores swept a three-game series from Brown over the weekend capped by a doubleheader sweep on Sunday. Sonny Gray dominated on Friday night in a 3-1 win over the Bears turning in a complete game. The junior struck out a career-best 15 while allowing only one run on three hits and no walks in his second-ever complete game. The two teams were rained out on Saturday to set up Sunday’s twin bill. In the first game, Grayson Garvin pitched five strong innings to pick up his second save of the year allowing one run on three hits. The Dores committed a season-high four errors and had to hold off a late Brown rally to win 6-5. In the second game, Vanderbilt had to rally late over their final three at-bats to win 6-3. Aaron Westlake’s big day led the offense for VU with Westlake going a combined 5-for-8 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, March 11
RHP Sonny Gray (3-0, 2.33) vs. RHP Matt Salemi (0-1, 3.27)
Saturday, March 12
LHP Grayson Garvin (2-1, 3.26) vs. RHP Matt Heaslip (1-1, 5.40)
Sunday, March 13
RHP Taylor Hill (1-0, 4.20) vs. RHP Joe Begel (1-1, 7.79)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Sonny Gray has been named SEC Pitcher of the Week for his performance against Brown. The junior fanned a career-best 15 in a complete game win over the Bears last Friday at Hawkins Field. Gray is the first Commodore to receive the honor from the league this year.
MULTI-HIT MAN
Aaron Westlake has been red-hot and enters the game riding a six-game hit streak with all six games being multi-hit games. Over the last six games Westlake is 13-for-23 (.565) with four extra-base hits, five RBI and nine runs scored. The first baseman’s average is up to a team-best .440 and is now ranked among the best in the SEC.
THE LAMM IS A SNAKE
Senior reliever Mark Lamm has snaked a team-best four wins out of the bullpen already this season. The right-hander earned the win on Wednesday and last Sunday in the second game against Brown. Lamm has also inherited at least one runner in all eight appearances this year allowing 5-of-14 to score.
FACING THE FLAMES
Vanderbilt hots Illinois-Chicago this weekend for the first time since 2009 when the Commodores took three-of-four from the Flames. Vandy holds the all-time edge with a 9-4 advantage. Jason Ganek was named the Horizon League Player of the Week last week and Matt Heaslip the Pitcher of the Week. Ganek was 7-for-15 with three doubles and five RBI. Heaslip dominated Missouri over 8.2 innings, allowing one run on seven hits.