May 31, 2018
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
Vanderbilt experienced a bit of deja vu when it learned of its NCAA Regional destination this week.
The Commodores landed as the No. 2 seed in the Clemson Regional for the second consecutive season. Moreover, the NCAA selection committee slid three of last season’s four regional teams – No. 1 seed Clemson and No. 3 St. John’s – back to Clemson, as well.
Most Vanderbilt fans understandably licked their chops when the bracket was unveiled. Last year, the Dores went 3-1 in clinching the Clemson Regional and advancing to the program’s fourth Super Regional in its last five seasons. But on Thursday, Vandy head coach Tim Corbin cautioned Commodore Nation against celebrating too early.
“We do have some returning players, but half the roster has never been here before,” Corbin said following the Dores’ first practice at Clemson. “So it’s going to be new for them.”
One way or another, Vanderbilt kicks off its 13th consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament on Friday vs. St. John’s (11 a.m. CT SEC Network) at Clemson’s Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Commodores hope a trip to the Palmetto State will help ease the pain of a quick exit from last week’s SEC Tournament. At Clemson, the Dores could return to the success that defined the end to their regular season.
“I’m excited to be here with this group of guys,” said sophomore pitcher Drake Fellows, Friday’s starter vs. St. John’s. “We’ve been getting hot at the end. It feels right right now. I’m ready to get out there.”
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Vanderbilt ventured to the SEC Tournament having won six of its last seven games. That stretch included a sweep of No. 19 Kentucky at home, which ultimately helped punch the squad’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament. During those seven games, the Commodore offense found its stride; Vandy batted .308 and averaged 9.14 runs per game. A .992 fielding percentage and 3.92 ERA helped the Dores look the part of SEC spoilers heading to Hoover.
Instead, Vanderbilt couldn’t capitalize on opportunities in a 3-1 loss to Texas A&M, finishing 2-for-16 (.125) with runners on base. That blip of inconsistency is one reason why Corbin isn’t resting on his team’s laurels ahead of the Clemson Regional. Names like Pat DeMarco, Austin Martin and Mason Hickman are key cogs in the Commodores’ lineup, but they’re also true freshmen playing in their first NCAA Tournament.
“This is going to be their first postseason experience outside of being in the SEC Tournament, which we had a cup of coffee at and left,” Corbin said. “We haven’t had much postseason experience with this group.”
Corbin tabbed the right-hander Fellows (6-4, 3.81 ERA), Vanderbilt’s regular Friday starter, as his pitcher for the opener vs. St. John’s, calling the sophomore “the right matchup at the right time.” Plus, Fellows is able to harken back to last season’s NCAA experience; he pitched against Clemson in the middle game of regional action, finishing with a tough-luck loss in a 6-0 setback on June 4.
But one day later, Fellows and the Commodores took the regional title with an 8-0 win over the Tigers. Now Vanderbilt hopes it can repeat last season’s winning recipe once again.
“I remember it was a fun time, loud stadium,” Fellows said. “Everyone last year was into it. The regional was really fun. I’m glad to be back. It’s going to be fun again.”
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.