Vanderbilt Baseball Weekly Report – Week 12

Vanderbilt Baseball Weekly Report

 

Overall Record: 38-9, 18-6 SEC
Streak: Won 11

Last Week’s Results (4-0)
Tuesday, April 30 vs. Tennessee Tech – Win, 21-10
Friday, May 3 at South Carolina – Win, 22-11
Sunday, May 5 at South Carolina – Win, 9-3 (7 inn.)
Sunday, May 5 at South Carolina – Win, 6-2 (7 inn.)

This Week (Times Central)
Tuesday, May 7 at Louisville – 6 p.m. [ESPNU]
Friday, May 10 vs. Missouri – 6:30 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Saturday, May 11 vs. Missouri – 2 p.m. [SEC Network+]
Sunday, May 12 vs. Missouri – Noon [SEC Network+]

Player of the Week Nominee
JJ Bleday – RF – 6-3 – 205 – Panama City Beach, Fla.
Weekly totals: 4 G/4 GS, 13 AB, 6 R, 6 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 15 TB
– Became Vanderbilt’s all-time single-season home run leader with his 23rd
– Swatted two long balls on the week, overtaking Pedro Alvarez’s (2006) Commodore record
– Logged three multi-hit games and led Vandy to its first ever three-game sweep at South Carolina
– Drew six walks including three in a seven-inning game at South Carolina
– Produced five RBIs and scored four runs in three games at South Carolina

Pitcher of the Week Nominee
Patrick Raby – RHP – 6-3 – 230 – Knoxville, Tenn.
Weekly totals: 1 G/1 GS, 1-0, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
– Became Vanderbilt’s all-time career wins leader with his 30th victory
– Did not allow an earned run in 5.2 innings at South Carolina
– Did not allow a baserunner until the fifth while leading Vandy to its first three-game sweep at South Carolina
– Has allowed one or no runs in eight of his 12 starts

Freshman of the Week Nominee
Isaiah Thomas – OF – 6-2 – 190 – Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Weekly totals: 3 G/1 GS, 7 AB, 4 R, 5 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 11 TB
– Went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and two homers on Tuesday vs. Tennessee Tech
– Helped Vandy to its highest combined run total in consecutive games, scoring three times vs. Tennessee Tech
– Contributed a base hit and scored a run in Vandy’s 6-2 victory at South Carolina in the finale

Commodore Notes
No. 4 Vanderbilt ran its win streak to a season-high 11 games, capping the week with the program’s first three-game sweep at South Carolina in program history. The Commodores continued their torrid pace at the plate, batting .366 while scoring 52 runs while adding 20 extra-base hits in the four games.

Vanderbilt clubbed four home runs and scored in every inning except the second, running away with its season-high eighth-consecutive victory by defeating Tennessee Tech 21-10 on Tuesday night at Hawkins Field. Center fielder Isaiah Thomas (4-for-5) swatted two home runs and accounted for five RBIs. The freshman capped Vanderbilt’s six-run first inning with a two-run shot. Vanderbilt produced five-plus runs in three different innings including nine runs in the sixth, running its season-high win streak to nine games with a 22-11 victory against South Carolina in the series opener. Vanderbilt’s 22 runs were the most in 92 all-time meetings against South Carolina.

The output was the Commodores’ most ever in an SEC road game and highest in a conference meeting since plating 27 at home against Alabama in 1988.  Nine players logged a hit and an RBI including first baseman Julian Infante (3-for-4) who clubbed a grand slam in the seventh inning and totaled six RBIs. Vanderbilt used a three-run third inning and added insurance late, securing the series against South Carolina with a 9-3 seven-inning victory in the opener of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Austin Martin (3-for-3) contributed his team-best ninth three-hit game and 24th multi-hit performance. The sophomore slapped a two-run, bases-loaded single in left in the seventh and JJ Bleday (2-for-2) added a two-run triple off the wall. Starting pitcher Patrick Raby became Vanderbilt’s all-time career wins leader and Bleday reset the program’s single-season home run mark as the No. 4 Commodores capped a three-game sweep of South Carolina with a 6-2 seven-inning victory … Raby (8-1) retired the first 12 batters he faced and did not allow a base hit until the fifth while moving out of a tie with Jeff Peeples (1970-73) with his program-best 30th career victory … Bleday launched his 23rd homer of the season, moving into sole possession of first in program history … The Commodores look for their 10th consecutive midweek victory on Tuesday when they visit No. 7 Louisville … Vanderbilt returns to Hawkins Field on Friday, opening a three-game series against Missouri.