March 29, 2018
Vanderbilt Game Notes | Florida Game Notes
Vanderbilt continues Southeastern Conference play this weekend, visiting league rival Florida for three games beginning Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
The SEC East opener is slated for SEC Network Plus while Saturday’s 11:00 a.m. CT middle game will be broadcast on ESPNU. The Sunday 11 a.m. CT finale will also be televised nationally via SEC Network.
Fans can listen to all three games courtesy of the vucommodores app as well as locally on WNSR 560 AM/95.9 FM with Joe Fisher on the call. Pre-game coverage begins 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
ON THE BUMP
Friday, March 30
RHP Drake Fellows (4-0, 2.16 ERA) vs. RHP Brady Singer (5-1, 3.00 ERA)
Saturday, March 31
RHP Patrick Raby (2-3, 2.19 ERA) vs. RHP Jackson Kowar (4-1, 3.13 ERA)
Sunday, April 1
RHP Mason Hickman (5-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Dyson (4-1, 2.10 ERA)
NEED TO KNOW
Vanderbilt captured its second-straight SEC series last weekend, taking 2-of-3 against LSU at Hawkins Field. The Dores’ 5-1 start to league play is the best mark since matching the feat in 2015. Vandy has started SEC play 5-1 four times in the Tim Corbin era (2003-present) doing so in 2006, 2013, 2015 and 2018.
Ten different Commodores have accounted for 19 home runs this season. Vanderbilt is one of 12 teams nationally to have 10 or more players produce a homer this year. Vandy is two off the pace of Mercer and Elon, which lead with 12.
Vanderbilt pitching has been lights-out with runners on base, holding opponents to a .189 batting average (68-for-359). In six SEC games, the Commodores limited LSU and Mississippi State to a .146 average (13-for-89) with runners on.
Vandy has stolen 50 bases this season, ranking 11th nationally and first in the SEC. Since the start of the 2013 season, the Commodores have swiped 557 bags, checking in at No. 7 nationally and tops in the SEC in that span.
Vanderbilt boasts a 10-2 record against Top 25 opponents (D1Baseball.com poll). The Dores have defeated No. 25 Duke (2x), No. 24 Houston, No. 19 Mississippi State (3x), No. 19 LSU (2x), No. 11 UCLA and No. 8 TCU.
Vanderbilt’s .986 fielding percentage ranks second nationally and first in the SEC. The Commodores have committed just 13 errors in 901 total chances. The program record for fielding percentage is .979 set in 2015.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP VS. FLORIDA
Vanderbilt and Florida meet for the 209th time in the history of the two programs on Friday night. The Gators own a 134-73-1 advantage in the series and have won three-straight series.
Vanderbilt’s last series win came May 8-10, 2014, in Gainesville, Fla., when Vandy responded with two-consecutive wins following a 1-0 loss on Thursday.
The Commodores have won eight of 11 meetings against Florida in the SEC Tournament. The SEC rivals have also met twice in the College World Series, doing so in 2011, with the Gators winning both matchups.
Since the start of the 2006 season, the two teams have combined to reach 22 NCAA Tournaments with the Dores boasting 12 NCAA Regionals and the Gators owning 10. The squads have each reached an SEC-best six NCAA Super Regionals.
VANDERBILT RE-VU
Vanderbilt dropped its fourth-consecutive midweek game on Tuesday night, recording just one hit in a 5-1 loss to Lipscomb at First Tennessee Park.
The Commodores left eight runners on base, going hitless in six at-bats with runners on base over the first six frames before making nine straight outs over the final three innings to end the game.
Jake Eder tossed 4.1 innings and took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out six.