April 7, 2016
VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt held off Lipscomb 4-3 on Tuesday night to improve to 18-2 in non-conference games. Jeren Kendall drove in two runs in the win. The Commodores finished off the team’s sixth series win with a 10-6 win over South Carolina on Saturday. Penn Murfee’s two hits and three RBI helped lead the way. Vanderbilt was shut out for the first time this season Friday night 4-0 against South Carolina. Kyle Wright was the tough-luck loser despite a quality start over his career-best 7.1 innings. The Commodores claimed the series opener Thursday night with a 6-3 win over South Carolina. Jordan Sheffield struck out nine in seven innings and Alonzo Jones drove in three runs.
ON THE BUMP
Thursday, April 7
RHP Jordan Sheffield (4-1, 2.27) vs. LHP Jared Poche’ (3-3, 2.38)
Friday, April 8
RHP Kyle Wright (4-1, 1.60) vs. RHP Alex Lange (2-2, 5.02)
Saturday, April 9
RHP Hayden Stone (0-1, 3.44) vs. LHP John Valek (5-1, 2.92)
BACK AT THE BOX
Vanderbilt returns to Alex Box Stadium for the first time since 2012 when the Commodores took two-of-three from No. 4 LSU. The two programs have not met at all since 2014 when the Dores won the regular season series at Hawkins Field by sweeping a Saturday doubleheader before the Tigers eliminated Vandy in the SEC Tournament. The two teams met in an epic SEC Tournament championship game in 2013 that saw the Tigers win 5-4 in 11 innings. Vanderbilt has won six straight series against LSU dating back to 2006 but trail the all-time series 39-54 dating back to the first match-up in 1974.
BUSY WEEK
The Commodores have had a busy week. The team boarded a bus after Tuesday’s game vs. Lipscomb and headed to Baton Rouge, La. for a three-game series with No. 15 LSU beginning Thursday night at Alex Box Stadium. The quick turnaround for Vandy comes with the team’s second straight series beginning on Thursday night. Vanderbilt’s schedule has two more series slated to begin on Thursdays with next month’s trip to No. 6 Texas A&M starting on May 5 and the final series of the season against Auburn starting on May 19 at Hawkins Field.
BIG LEAGUERS
A program record and SEC-leading eight former Commodores opened the 2016 season on major league baseball rosters, led by All-Stars David Price and Sonny Gray. Each drew the Opening Day nod for their team but inclement weather in Cleveland delayed Price’s first start for Boston and sickness scratched Gray’s start for Oakland. Price won his opener a day later, striking out 10 over six innings. Pedro Alvarez joined Baltimore over the offseason and teams up with former Vandy teammate Ryan Flaherty for the Orioles. Three more former Commodores made their first Opening Day rosters with Curt Casali (Tampa Bay), Caleb Cotham (Cincinnati) and Drew VerHagen (Detroit) all breaking camp with their teams. Mike Minor inked a contract with defending World Series champion Kansas City over the winter but opens the season on the disabled list for the third straight season. The minor league season begins on Thursday, when 30 more former Vandy Boys will begin their seasons.
SERIES UPS AND DOWNS
Through the first three weeks of Southeastern Conference play the Commodores have had ups and downs to get to 6-3 in league play. VU is 2-1 in the opening game of the series, 1-2 in the middle game and 3-0 in series finales. In the opening game of the series Vandy is hitting .239 and outscoring opponents 15-11 but in the middle game the team’s average dips to .165 with opponents outscoring the Dores 9-6. The series finale has featured a Vanderbilt offense hitting .348 and outscoring teams 39-19. Freshman Ethan Paul has been the team’s best offensive threat in series openers (,364) and the finales (.545) while hitting a team-best .400 in SEC games.