Feb. 26, 2015
Illinois State Redbirds (4-2) vs. #1 Vanderbilt Commodores (6-2)
Friday, February 27 | 4 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Saturday, February 28 | 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 1 | 1 p.m. [SEC Network+]
VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Western Kentucky 10-6 on Wednesday. Zander Wiel’s seventh inning grand slam completed the comeback as the bullpen turned in four no-hit innings. The Commodores used an eight-run third inning to cruise to victory over UT-Martin Tuesday night. Liam Sabino posted a career-best three hits and Dansby Swanson matched a career-best with four RBI. Vanderbilt recorded its second shutout win of the year with a 6-0 victory over Indiana State on Sunday. A seven-run sixth inning sank the Commodores on Saturday in an 8-1 loss. Rhett Wiseman delivered the Dores’ second straight walk-off win in a 3-2 victory over Indiana State on Friday.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, Feb. 27
RHP Carson Fulmer (1-0, 1.80) vs. LHP Will Headean (1-0, 0.90)
Saturday, Feb. 28
LHP John Kilichowski (0-0, 5.40) vs. RHP Jack Landwehr (1-1, 6.75)
Sunday, March 1
RHP Kyle Wright (1-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Jacob Hendren (1-0, 6.55)
OFFENSIVE AWAKENING
Vanderbilt’s offense has come alive over the team’s last two games scoring 26 runs. The Commodores scored exactly 26 runs over the team’s first six games this season. Vandy is 22-for-67 (.328) with eight extra base hits over the last two games. Through the first six games the Dores were hitting .291 (58-for-199) with 16 extra-base hits. VU has also cranked up the running game with six of the team’s 10 stolen bases for the year in the last two games.
ZANDERBILT
Zander Wiel has made his presence known sitting in the cleanup spot for the Commodores this season. His grand slam Wednesday night was the first for a Dore since Vince Conde last May and his five RBI are the most by a Commodore since Wiel himself drove in five runs in his first career start at Georgia April 20, 2013. The slugger has seven RBI in his last four games and enters the weekend with a team-high nine RBI.
SHUTOUTS & PUNCH OUTS
Vanderbilt’s pitching staff has recorded two shutouts in the team’s first six games, a feat the team has now done in consecutive seasons. The Dores shut out Santa Clara on opening day and notched another blanking in Sunday’s win over Indiana State. Vandy secured shutouts in the team’s second and sixth games to start the 2014 campaign. The VU pitching staff is coming off a weekend series that saw the team’s arms generate 35 strikeouts over 27 innings. John Kilichowski led the way with a career-best nine punch outs in Saturday’s game. Vanderbilt has struck out 61 batters in 55 innings so far this season.
YOUNG GUNS
Vandy has played 16 freshmen this season with Jeren Kendall, Will Toffey and Kyle Wright leading the way. The trio of true freshman sparked the Dores to Sunday’s win over Indiana State with Wright tossing six scoreless innings for the win, Kendall driving in two runs with a pair of extra-base hits and Toffey scoring three runs with two doubles. Wright was pegged the TSWA Pitcher of the Week for his effort in his first career start. Kendall has added four runs in two games this week while Toffey has knocked in a run in each of the midweek games.
CORBIN RECEIVING FRED RUSSELL DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN AWARD
Head Coach Tim Corbin is scheduled to receive the Fred Russell Distinguished American Award next week from the middle Tennessee chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame. Corbin joins a prestigious list of recipients of the award joining former Commodore Charlie Hawkins, musician Lee Greenwood, Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr., Martha Rivers Ingram and Governor Phil Bredesen.