Vanderbilt Game Notes | Duke Game Notes
No. 14 Vanderbilt vs. No. 25 Duke
Friday-Sunday, February 16-18, 2018
4:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m.
Nashville, Tenn. | Hawkins Field
Radio: WNSR – Nashville Sports Radio 560
Video: SEC Network+ (Friday/Sunday)
Live Stats: vucommodores.com
NEED TO KNOW
Vanderbilt opens the 2018 season under the direction of head coach Tim Corbin for the 16th year. Corbin is just 10 victories shy of becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach and is currently 646-315-1 with the Commodores.
For the eighth-straight year, Vanderbilt opens the season in the top-10. The Dores were ranked as high as No. 6 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and are in the Top 25 in five different polls.
The Commodores boast one of the strongest schedules in recent memory during 2018, playing a combined 22 games against opponents ranked in the preseason Top 25 including three to begin the year vs. No. 25 Duke.
This weekend marks the first time since Feb. 25-27, 2011, that Vanderbilt has hosted a three-game non-conference series against a top-25 team. The last visit came from No. 8 Stanford with the Dores winning two of three.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP VS. DUKE
Vanderbilt and Duke meet for the first time in the history of the two programs this weekend.
The Dores are no stranger to matchups, however, against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In fact, Vandy has faced every member of the ACC with the exception of the Blue Devils. In a combined 140 games against the league’s 13 other members, Vanderbilt has posted an all-time record of 69-70-1 (.496).
Duke becomes the ninth opponent from the state of North Carolina that Vanderbilt has faced. The Commodores have previously squared off against Campbell, Davidson, East Carolina, NC State, North Carolina, UNC-Wilmington, Wake Forest and Western Carolina.
GOLDEN BOYS
For a fourth-straight year, multiple Vandy players have been named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.
Julian Infante and Patrick Raby are among those featured. The award was first presented in 1978 and is given to an amateur player who best exhibits and combines “exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship.” The award is considered the most prestigious in amateur baseball.
Five Commodores have been named finalists for the Golden Spikes Award — all coming since the 2007 season — including David Price, who took home the honor in 2007. Other finalists include Pedro Alvarez (2007), Tyler Beede (2013), Carson Fulmer (2015) and Dansby Swanson (2015).
VANDY PICKED TO FINISH THIRD IN SEC EAST
After consecutive third-place finishes in the SEC East, Vanderbilt has been picked to finish in the same position according to the league’s head coaches.
Florida was picked as the preseason favorite to win both the East and the SEC with a total of 91 points and 13-of-14 first-place votes. Kentucky garnered 74 points and was second in the East. In the West, Arkansas picked up 90 points and 12 first-place nods followed by Texas A&M with 72 points.