March 18, 2011
Nashville, Tenn, –
VANDERBILT RE-VU
The Commodores pounded a season-best 16 hits en route to a 9-0 win over Purdue on Tuesday. Four Vandy pitchers combined to pitch the club’s first shutout of 2011. Kevin Ziomek notched his first collegiate win with five innings of work. Anthony Gomez had four hits and Jason Esposito knocked in four runs in the win. Vanderbilt finished off the team’s third series sweep of the year with a 2-1 win over Illinois-Chicago Sunday afternoon. Anthony Gomez’s single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning delivered the team’s ninth straight win. Navery Moore notched his second win in as many days working a scoreless ninth inning. The Commodores rallied from a six-run deficit to beat UIC 9-8 in 10 innings Saturday. Mike Yastrzemski’s RBI-double in the 10th inning delivered the walk-off win. Vanderbilt used a grand slam from Curt Casali and seven scoreless innings from Sonny Gray to beat UIC in the series opener Friday night.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, March 18
RHP Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.71) vs. RHP Devin Jones (2-2, 1.37)
Saturday, March 19
LHP Grayson Garvin (2-1, 3.55) vs. RHP Chris Stratton (3-0, 1.65)
Sunday, March 20
RHP Taylor Hill (1-0, 3.13) vs. TBA
BACK ON TOP
The Commodores are ranked first in the NCBWA poll this week. The top ranking in the country is the first since 2007 for Vanderbilt. The Dores replaced Florida, who is ranked first in the other four polls, as the No. 1 team in the nation.
COMEBACK KIDS
The Commodores rallied three times last week to win games, including twice over the weekend against UIC. The team’s rally from six runs down on Saturday to win 9-8 in 10 innings was the biggest deficit the Dores have faced this year. Vanderbilt rallied from a run down on Sunday to win and trailed Kennesaw State by a run on Wednesday before eventually emerging with a 9-5 win. VU has six come-from-behind victories this year.
GO-GO STREAKING
Anthony Gomez enters the game today with a 13-game hitting streak. Gomez started his streak against Stanford on February 25 and has at least one hit in every game since. The Dores shortstop entered the game against Stanford hitting .158 (3-for-19 in the team’s first five games) and comes into today’s action hitting .347 for the season. During the streak he is 23-for-56 (.411) with RBI in nine of the 13 contests and has seven multi-hit games.
AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
Mississippi State visits Hawkins Field for the first time since 2009 when the Dores swept a three-game series from the Bulldogs. Vanderbilt has won the last 10 meetings between the two schools dating back to 2007. The last time the Dores lost to Mississippi State was 2005. The Bulldogs have not won on West End since 2002 when they took 2-of-3 from the Commodores. Coach Corbin is 15-4 against MSU in his tenure at VU.
4-RUN HOMER + 2 KNOCKS = GOOD WEEKEND
Curt Casali’s grand slam March 11 was the first from a Commodore since Connor Harrell hit a slam last April against Auburn. Casali’s round tripper was his first of the year and just the fourth of the season by the Commodores. Casali also became the first Commodore to record two hits in an inning since Brian Harris turned the trick last season against Belmont. Casali had two of the Dores’ six hits in the team’s five-run fifth inning on March 12.
STRONG LIKE BULL(PEN) The Commodores bullpen has been strong all year long posting a 1.77 ERA through the first 18 games. Closer Navery Moore and left-hander Keenan Kolinsky have yet to allow a run and Mark Lamm has allowed only one run. Moore and Lamm lead the team with nine appearances already placing them among the most by any pitcher in the SEC.
ESPOSITO RUNS INTO TOP 10 Jason Esposito moved into the Top 10 all-time for stolen bases in a career at Vanderbilt when he stole a base on Opening Day against San Diego. The junior third baseman has added to his total and now is in eighth place with 59 stolen bases. Next up on the list is Nick Morrow (1991-94), who had 65 steals in his career. Charles DeFrance (1980-82) holds the school record with 96 stolen bases.
FANN BLOG
Catcher Drew Fann is keeping a weekly blog this season for CollegeBaseballDaily.com. The junior backstop talks about college life, the team and what the team does off the field. Fann’s blog can be read every Tuesday on the site.
VANDY PICKED 2ND IN SEC EAST BY COACHES Vanderbilt was picked to finish second in the SEC East division by the league’s coaches behind Florida, who the coaches tabbed as the favorite to win the league. Defending national champion South Carolina was picked to finish third in the East followed by Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee. LSU was chosen to win the SEC West followed by Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama and Mississippi State.
THE ALL-AMERICANS Juniors Sonny Gray, Jason Esposito and Aaron Westlake were all named preseason All-American’s by Baseball America. Gray was a first team selection while Esposito and Westlake were placed on the second team. The Commodore trio was three of the 10 SEC players on the three team list. Gray and Esposito were recognized by multiple media outlets as a All-Americans.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Promotions this weekend to see the Dores take on the Bulldogs.
Free Stuff Friday, the first 500 fans in attendance on March 18 will receive Vanderbilt Athletic Drawstring Bags.
Branding U Saturday, Vanderbilt Baseball Koozies for the first 500 fans.
On Sunday, kids run the bases after the game. Parents and kids will with a Marketing Representative at the 3rd Base entrance after the game so the kids can participate. Also, the first 500 fans on Sunday receive a Vanderbilt Baseball Bumper Sticker and wristbands.
All promotions are valid while supplies last.
GRILLIN’ WITH THE BULLPEN CLUB The Bullpen Club will be grilling out on Saturday before the game beginning at 11 a.m. Fans are encouraged to join the tailgate before the game with donations being accepted to help fund the tailgate. To join the bullpen club is only $35 for the year and includes a free t-shirt. Stop by the Bullpen Club tent on Saturday to join and enjoy good food and friends.