NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt baseball team is set to hit the road this weekend, traveling to Lexington for an SEC series at Kentucky.
The three-game series is set to begin with a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch on Friday evening, followed by an 11 a.m. CT first pitch in Saturday’s contest. The series finale between the two teams is scheduled for Sunday at noon CT. The bookend games of the three-game set will be streamed on SEC Network+, while Saturday’s matchup will be televised on SEC Network.
Probable Starting Pitching Matchups
FRIDAY: Vandy – Jr., RHP Chris McElvain (4-2, 4.05) vs. Kentucky – Gr., LHP Mason Hazelwood (1-0, 4.50)
SATURDAY: Vandy – Fr., LHP Carter Holton (4-2, 4.57) vs. Kentucky – Jr., RHP Zack Lee (0-0, 3.77)
SUNDAY: Vandy – Fr., RHP Bryce Cunningham (1-0, 1.66) vs. Kentucky – TBA
Trending
• Vanderbilt got back into the win column on Tuesday with a 7-0 midweek victory over Tennessee Tech.
• With the victory, the Commodores have won 29 consecutive midweek games at home, and 10 consecutive midweek contests overall.
• Vanderbilt looks to turn things around in SEC play this weekend on the road. The Commodores have dropped their last two road series to South Carolina and Auburn.
Starting From Behind
• Vanderbilt has had to battle back in most of its SEC games recently after falling to early deficits.
• The opponent has scored first in nine consecutive conference games against the Commodores, which spans across Vandy’s last three SEC series.
• Vanderbilt owns a 3-6 record in those nine contests.
• The Commodores own a 19-2 record this season when they score first, including a 3-1 record in SEC play when they strike first.
• Vandy is 4-7 in conference action when opponents score first. The opponent has scored first in seven of the team’s eight losses in conference action.
Anchoring the Midweek
• Freshman left-hander Devin Futrell has anchored the midweek starting spot for the Vanderbilt pitching staff.
• Futrell owns a 8-0 record on the campaign. His six wins tie him for first in the nation entering the weekend.
• He owns a team-best WHIP of 0.75, which places him third in the conference and fourth in the nation.
• The rookie southpaw notched a complete game against Lipscomb on March 29, allowing just one earned run. He became the fourth Vanderbilt player in the last four seasons to throw a nine-inning complete game.
Series History
• Friday’s series opener will mark the 340th time that Vanderbilt and Kentucky have met all-time history between the two programs.
• The Commodores lead in the all-time series, holding a slight 150-148-5 advantage over the Wildcats.
The Long Ball
• Vanderbilt has had success this season when the offense records a home run.
• The Commodores boast an 20-4 record in games where they record at least one home run, while owning a 6-6 record in games when they do not register a homer.
• Vandy has six games this season with 3+ home runs and owns a perfect 6-0 record in those contests. The Dores most recently hit three homers in the midweek matchup with Western Kentucky last Tuesday.
What’s Next
• Following the series with Kentucky, the Commodores will return home for a four-game homestand.
• Vanderbilt will take the midweek off before returning to action next weekend for a home series against Texas A&M.