March 1, 2012
VANDERBILT RE-VU
Louisiana Tech jumped on the Commodores early and never trailed in a 9-3 win over VU. Mike Yastrzemski belted his second home run of the season with a two-run shot. Oregon completed a three-game sweep of Vanderbilt Sunday, holding off a ninth inning rally to win 7-6. The Commodores had the tying run on third base when the game ended after scoring one run in the inning already. Freshman Connor Castellano had two hits and two RBI in the first start of his career. Walks and hit batters hurt Vanderbilt in Saturday’s 7-2 loss. Six of the Ducks’ seven runs on the day reached base via walk or hit batter. Tony Kemp led VU with two runs scored and reached base four times in the game. Oregon rallied by the Commodores to win the series opener 4-2 Friday night. Anthony Gomez knocked in a run and extended his hitting streak to five games in the loss.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, March 2
LHP Kevin Ziomek (0-1, 5.62) vs. LHP Chris Pickering (1-1, 5.91)
Saturday, March 3
RHP Drew VerHagen (1-0, 9.53) vs. RHP Kevin Lee (1-1, 4.35)
Sunday, March 4
LHP Sam Selman (0-2, 9.35) vs. TBA
FREE RIDES COSTING COMMODORES
The Commodores’ pitching staff has issued 37 walks and hit 18 batters in the team’s first eight games of 2012.Add in the team’s 17 errors and that is 72 free base runners for opponents. Of those 72 free base runners 30 have crossed home plate, including 13 of Oregon’s 18 runs this past weekend. Vanderbilt has allowed 66 runs this season with 46% of those runs reaching base via walk, hit by pitch or error. The Dores’ offense has scored 10 runs that reached base via walk, hit by pitch or error.
NAVIN FINDING WAY TO FIRST
Sophomore catcher Spencer Navin has been finding his way to first base more often than not early in the season. Navin enters today’s game leading the Commodores with a .500 on-base percentage. The Des Moines, Iowa native is hitting .278 and is tied for the team lead with six walks while reaching base in six of the team’s seven games.
RED-HOT YAZ
Junior Mike Yastrzemski enters the weekend hitting .346 after going 7-for-15 in the Commodores’ first five home games. Yastrzemski has belted home runs in each of the Dores’ midweek games, going deep for a three-run shot against Oakland and adding a two-run homer against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday. He has been one of the Dores’ most steady offensive players having posted hits in six of eight games, including a trio of two-hit games, and scoring seven runs in eight games.
TURNING IT AROUND?
Sophomores Tony Kemp and Conrad Gregor are starting to show signs of turning it around after a slow start. Kemp is riding a five-game hitting streak after starting the season 1-for-12 and Gregor has at least one hit in his last four games after a 1-for-13 start. The two combined to hit .339 as Freshmen All-American last season.
PLAYING THE RAMS
The Commodores take on Rhode Island for the first time this weekend.