May 23, 2016
VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt finished the team’s sixth series sweep of the season with a 4-3 win over Auburn on Saturday. Kyle Wright earned his eighth win of the year with six solid innings. The Commodores swept both ends of a doubleheader against Auburn on Thursday to clinch the series. VU rallied from an early deficit to win the opener behind Jordan Sheffield, who won his team-leading eighth game. Jeren Kendall and Bryan Reynolds each hit two-run homers in the nightcap to help John Kilichowski win his first game of the season.
ON THE BUMP
Tuesday, May 24
RHP Patrick Raby (6-1, 2.91) vs. RHP Tanner Houck (5-5, 2.09)
MEETING MIZZOU
Vanderbilt meets Missouri in the SEC Tournament for the second straight year. The two teams played an epic game in the second round of last year’s tournament with the Commodores emerging victorious 7-6 in 10 innings on Rhett Wiseman’s walk-off home run over a leaping Jake Ring in center field. Vanderbilt swept the Tigers in the series between the two teams in Columbia in late March. VU had to rally late to win the opener 8-6 with four runs in the top of the ninth and survived an outstanding Tanner Houck performance to clinch the series on a 2-0 win in 11 innings on Saturday. Vandy finished the sweep with a 17-7 win on Sunday with the Tigers making eight errors. Vanderbilt is 13-0 all-time against Missouri.
THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Vanderbilt heads to the Southeastern Conference tournament for the 21st time in program history and 11th straight year dating back to 2006 when the Commodores finished runner-up. Since 2006, the Dores have finished runner-up or won the tournament seven times, including the 2007 title. Last year, VU opened with a win over Missouri before dropping a game to Texas A&M. Vandy marched to the finals after the loss beating Alabama and Texas A&M before losing to Florida in the championship game. Under head coach Tim Corbin, the Commodores are 33-18 in 12 previous appearances.
PITCHING DOWN THE STRETCH
The Commodores’ pitching staff has been very good over the team’s last four weeks entering the postseason. Over the team’s last 15 games, the Dores have posted a 2.61 ERA (38ER/131.0IP) while punching out 131 and allowing teams to hit just .228. During the stretch, Vandy has played three Top 5 teams in Louisville, Texas A&M and Florida with the Commodores’ pitching helping the team to a 10-5 record. The Dores have allowed more than three runs just twice over the last 15 games, both losses (Louisville and Florida). Vanderbilt’s 1-2 punch of Jordan Sheffield and Kyle Wright have led the way combining to go 6-2 with Wright going 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA and opponents hitting just .155 over his last four starts.
THE UNDERCLASSMEN INFIELD
During Vanderbilt’s three-game sweep of Auburn over the weekend head coach Tim Corbin’s lineup featured four underclassmen on the infield with sophomore Will Toffey (3B) joining freshmen Connor Kaiser (SS) and Alonzo Jones (2B) for all three games. Freshmen Julian Infante and Ethan Paul each started games at first base. Freshmen have started 35 games at shortstop led by Kaiser’s team-high 30 starts. Paul (19) and Jones (6) have also started games at second with Paul (6) and Infante (17) seeing time at first. Vanderbilt’s top-ranked freshman class has combined to start 136 games this season with the freshmen pitchers appearing in 52 games.
COFFEE WITH THE COMMODORES
The last time Vanderbilt was in the opening game of the SEC tournament was in 2014 when the Commodores escaped with a 3-2 win over Tennessee. The Dores have not started a game before noon this season but is 28-8 in day games.