#9 Vanderbilt Commodores (15-3, 0-0 SEC) vs. #18 Auburn Tigers (13-3, 0-0 SEC)
Game 1: Friday, March 15 @ 6 p.m. CT • SECN+
Game 2: Saturday, March 16 @ 2 p.m. CT • SECN+
Game 3: Sunday, March 17 @ 1 p.m. CT • SECN+
Nashville, Tenn. • Hawkins Field
Series Preview: Vanderbilt takes a 10-game win streak into SEC play as Auburn comes to town for a three-game series.
- Auburn leads the all-time series 99-68-1 since the first meeting in 1908. Vandy leads the series 31-14 under head coach Tim Corbin. The Dores have won seven straight vs. the Tigers at Hawkins Field.
- This weekend’s series marks the first three-game series against a ranked opponent for Vanderbilt this season. The Dores are 1-0 vs. teams ranked by D1Baseball this season.
Last Time Out: Vanderbilt swept its weekend series over Illinois State before defeating Indiana on Tuesday.
- Over their last five games, Vanderbilt’s starting pitchers have a combined 0.56 ERA with 32 innings pitches and two earned runs allowed. Vandy’s starting arms have issued just four walks while striking out 44 over the span.
- Devin Futrell was named SEC Pitcher of the Week after tossing a complete-game shutout vs. Illinois State last Sunday. Bryce Cunningham registered 11 strikeouts over eight innings in his start on Saturday vs. the Redbirds.
- On Tuesday vs. Indiana, RJ Austin went 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Troy LaNeve drove in three runs.
Stat Spotlights: Vanderbilt ranks top-10 in NCAA DI in doubles, stolen bases and fielding percentage entering the weekend.
- The Dores lead the SEC and are seventh nationally in both stolen bases (45) and fielding percentage (0.984).
- Vandy ranks second in the SEC and ninth nationally in doubles (46).
- The Dores are 17th in DI in hits (190) and 23rd in runs (156).
- RJ Austin is second in SEC and third nationally in stolen bases (13). Jacob Humphrey’s 86 career stolen bases is tied for third among active DI players.
- Vandy ranks seventh in stolen bases (45) and are tied for second in stolen bases allowed (3).
Scoring Early: Vanderbilt has scored 45 of its 156 runs in the first two innings this season.
- Vandy is outscoring its opponents 25-5 in the first inning and 20-3 in the second inning.
- The Dores are 8-1 when they score in the first frame and 11-1 when scoring first.
1,000-Win Club: Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin reached 1,000 career wins on March 5 vs. Eastern Michigan.
- Corbin is two wins away from 900 victories at Vanderbilt.
- Among active coaches, Corbin ranks 10th by most wins. He is second in the SEC behind Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn (1,224).
Newcomers Contributing: Vanderbilt has used 12 newcomers this season, including eight freshmen.
- Jayden Davis, a transfer from Samford, is hitting .299 with six doubles, a home run and 16 RBI.
- Freshman Camden Kozeal was named SEC Freshman of the Week (March 4) after leading all DI hitters with 14 hits the previous week.
- Jacob Humphrey, a transfer from UMass Lowell, hit his first home run as Commodore in his second start Feb. 27 against Indiana State.
Streaking: A pair of Dores, Jayden Davis and Alan Espinal, have reached base safely in every game they’ve played this season.
- Four Commodores enter the weekend with double-digit on-base streaks. Davis has reached base in all 18 games following by Espinal at 17, Camden Kozeal at 12 and RJ Austin at 10.
- Espinal reached base safely in each of Vandy’s final five games of the 2023 season, for a total on-base streak of 22 games.
