VANDERBILT RE-VU
The Commodores won the home opener on Wednesday 7-4 over Evansville. Ro Coleman’s two-run triple in the eighth inning put the game away as Maddux Conger won his first career start. Vanderbilt clinched the series with a loud 11-1 on Sunday afternoon at San Diego. The Dores collected 16 hits led by Ethan Paul and Julian Infante, who each had two hits and three RBIs. Drake Fellows dominated in his collegiate debut with six scoreless innings. The Commodores evened the series with an 8-2 victory at San Diego that stretched over three days beginning on Friday afternoon. Rain halted the game after six innings and kept the two teams off the field until Sunday. Patrick Raby earned the win with five scoreless innings and Alonzo Jones matched career-bests with three hits and three runs. Vanderbilt dropped the season-opener on Thursday night at San Diego 3-2. Jeren Kendall and Julian Infante each had two hits with Kyle Wright taking the loss with five innings of work. The loss in the season-opener is the first in a season-opener for Vandy since 2012 when the Commodores lost at Stanford.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, Feb. 24
RHP Kyle Wright (0-1, 5.40) vs. LHP Jake Dahlberg (0-0, 1.29)
Saturday, Feb. 25
RHP Patrick Raby (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Jack Andersen (0-0, 5.40)
Sunday, Feb. 26
RHP Drake Fellows (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Reid Birlingmair (1-0, 1.35 ERA)
STRONG START
Vanderbilt’s starting pitching has been strong through the team’s first four games. Kyle Wright, Patrick Raby, Drake Fellows and Maddux Conger have all turned in solid outings to combine for a 1.77 ERA over 20.1 innings and a 3-1 record. The four right-handers have struck out 17 with Conger’s six punch outs against Evansville on Wednesday leading the way.
FAMILIAR FLAMES
The Commodores welcome UIC to Hawkins Field for the second straight season having hosted the Flames in four of the last six years dating back to 2011. The Dores are 12-0 in those four series but have played three extra inning games, including last year’s 14-inning contest. The two teams were scheduled to play in Nashville in 2015 but snow forced the cancellation of the series as the Commodores traveled to Port Charlotte, Fla. to play Indiana State instead. The Flames’ coaching staff also has a familiar face in former Vanderbilt All-SEC shortstop Brian Harris, who serves as the team’s volunteer assistant coach.
HOME AT THE HAWK
The Commodores open a 34-game home schedule today at Hawkins Field against Evansville. The Hawk has a few new features for 2017 – its 15th season – with major renovations still ongoing in left field. Gone is the old left field wall and in is the Commodores’ new operations building. The building features a 30-foot wall to match the old wall with the distance down the left field line still at 310 feet. Once completed the building will house new coaches offices, a team room, pro locker room, weight room and batting cages. Just beyond the new building is a video board that overlooks left-center field. The board is 25-feet tall and 60-feet wide (1500 square feet) to check in as the fifth-biggest video board in college baseball. Flags with the numbers and names of former Commodores to play in major league baseball ring the outside of the park down the first base line and in the outfield with several new branding pieces noticeable throughout the park. The number 41 has been sewn into the turf in front of the home dugout in honor of the late Donny Everett.