VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt was eliminated from the SEC Tournament last Tuesday by South Carolina in a 7-4 loss in 11 innings. Connor Kaiser hit his first career homer and Will Toffey drove in three in the loss. The Commodores rallied to tie Alabama 3-3 on Saturday afternoon before rain ended the game in VU’s first tie since 1993. Jeren Kendall scored the tying run on a balk and Drake Fellow struck out a career-best 10 in 6.1 innings. Vanderbilt used an eight-run first inning to cruise to 13-1 series-clinching win over the Crimson Tide on Saturday. Kyle Wright dominated over 7.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. The Commodores’ offense exploded in an 18-1 on Thursday night to claim the series opener against Alabama. Jason Delay drove in four runs with three hits in Patrick Raby’s ninth win of the season.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, June 2
RHP Patrick Raby (9-3, 2.24) vs. RHP Sean Mooney (8-1, 1.22)
Saturday, June 3
RHP Kyle Wright (4-5, 2.91) vs. TBA
THE COMMODORES IN NCAA REGIONALS
The Commodores return to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th straight year – extending the program’s SEC-leading streak – and 13th time under head coach Tim Corbin. The Clemson Regional will be Vanderbilt’s 16th trip to the NCAA Tournament in school history with Corbin leading VU to 30 of the program’s 33 NCAA Regional victories. The road regional is Vanderbilt’s first since a 2012 visit to NC State and just second in the last seven seasons. The Dores last won a regional away from Hawkins Field in 2010 when Connor Harrell’s suicide squeeze bunt walked off Louisville to claim the regional.
VANDERBILT VS. THE FIELD
Vanderbilt has played just three total games against the field of the Clemson Regional, last squaring off against St. John’s in 2001 in a 7-2 win in 10 innings in the Wiregrass Baseball Classic in Dothan, Ala. Vanderbilt associate head coach Scott Brown spent 10 seasons under St. John’s head coach Ed Blankmeyer prior to coming to Nashville. The Commodores have played two games all-time against Clemson, splitting two games in 1986. The Tigers were a part of the Nashville Regional in 2014 but did not face the Commodores. Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin was a long time Clemson assistant, spending 1994-2002 on the Tigers’ staff before taking the helm at Vanderbilt. The Commodores have never played UNC Greensboro.
TOFFEY RETURNS ON FIRE
Will Toffey missed five games earlier this month with a shoulder injury but has returned on fire at the plate. The junior has been white-hot over his last six games going 15-for-29 (.517) with 12 RBIs, nine runs and three home runs.