VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt used six no-hit innings from the bullpen to beat Southeastern Louisiana 4-2 on Wednesday. Paxton Stover, Matt McGarry and Reed Hayes combined for six innings of no-hit baseball with Stover picking up the win and Hayes the save. The Commodores battled back to top Southeastern Louisiana 9-6 on Tuesday night. Jeren Kendall hit two home runs and drove in four runs with Harrison Ray belting his first career homer in the win. Vanderbilt dropped the series finale 5-2 in 11 innings against UIC on Sunday afternoon. Matt Ruppenthal took the loss allowing three runs over four innings of relief. The Commodores evened the series with a 6-2 victory on Saturday. Freshman JJ Bleday drove in a career-best three runs with a career-high three hits in support of Patrick Raby, who won his second game with six innings of work. Vanderbilt dropped the series opener against UIC 5-3 in 10 innings on Friday night. Collin Snider took the loss, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits over three-plus innings of relief.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, March 3
RHP Kyle Wright (0-1, 3.27) vs. RHP Andrew Weston (1-1, 0.66)
Saturday, March 4
RHP Patrick Raby (2-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Tei Vanderford (1-1, 0.66)
Sunday, March 5
RHP Drake Fellows (1-0, 1.38) vs. RHP Samuel Myers (1-0, 0.00)
WEST COAST BASEBALL
The Commodores play their second West Coast team of the season this weekend when CSUN makes its first visit to Hawkins Field. The Matadors are the second team from southern California on the Dores’ schedule after the team opened the season at San Diego with a series victory. Vandy hosts a northern California team in Saint Mary’s next weekend to wrap up non-conference play.
WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND
The Dores’ starting rotation has been solid over the first two weekends with junior Kyle Wright, sophomore Patrick Raby and freshman Drake Fellows all pitching well. The trio has combined for three wins – led by Raby’s two – 35 innings – led by Fellows’ 13.0 – and 33 strikeouts – led by Fellows’ 14. The three hurlers have also combined for a 1.54 ERA and limited hitters to just a .172 batting average (21-for-122).
POWER SURGE
After hitting just two home runs in the team’s first seven games the Commodores have slugged five in the squad’s last two games, belting three in Tuesday’s win over Southeastern Louisiana and two more in Wednesday’s victory over the Lions. Freshmen Harrison Ray and JJ Bleday each hit their first round trippers with Julian Infante adding his second of the year and Jeren Kendall tacking on his second and third.
TOFFEY OFF TO GOOD START
Will Toffey’s junior season is off to a good start. The Commodores’ hot corner has at least one hit in all nine of the Dores’ games this season, including a pair of two-hit games. Toffey’s nine-game hitting streak tops his 2016 best of seven games.
BUSY STRETCH
Vanderbilt began a stretch of 10 games over the next two weeks on Tuesday. The Commodores have two five-game weeks on the schedule with both weeks falling back-to-back. After hosting the Lions in the midweek, the Dores welcome Cal State Northridge to town for a three-game series over the weekend. Central Arkansas visits Hawkins Field for a pair of games next week before Saint Mary’s comes to Nashville for the Commodores’ final non-conference weekend.
VANDY BOY SURVIVOR
The Vandy Boys have a good game of survivor going through nine games with six Commodores having started all eight games so far this season. Julian Infante, Jason Delay, JJ Bleday, Will Toffey, Jeren Kendall and Connor Kaiser have all started every game for the Dores with Alonzo Jones and Ethan Paul playing in all nine. Kendall and Bryan Reynolds were the only two Commodores to start all 62 games last season with Toffey playing in all 62.