SEC Action Comes to The Hawk

#22 Vanderbilt Commodores (16-5, 1-2 SEC) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (11-9, 0-3 SEC)
Game 1: Thursday, March 20 @ 6 p.m. CT • SEC Network
Game 2: Friday, March 21 @ 6 p.m. CT • SECN+
Game 3: Saturday, March 22 @ 2 p.m. CT • SECN+

Weekend Preview: Vanderbilt hosts Texas A&M for a three-game series beginning Thursday at Hawkins Field.

• The Commodores and Aggies last played a series in Nashville in 2022 with Texas A&M taking two of three. Vandy is 10-16 all-time against the Aggies.
• Vandy is off to a 12-0 start at home this season, averaging more than 10 runs a game at Hawkins Field.
• The Dores have outscored their opponents 90-10 over the last eight home games including six run-rule victories.

Last Time Out: Vandy recorded its fourth consecutive midweek run-rule win, beating Belmont 13-2 in seven innings on Tuesday.

• The Commodores tallied nine hits by eight different batters. Vandy hit three home runs, a grand slam by Mike Mancini and solo shots by Jacob Humphrey and David Mendez.
• Humphrey scored three times and stole four bases to surpass 100 career stolen bases. The senior leads all active NCAA D1 players in career steals with 101.
• Vandy won one of three games at Auburn last weekend to open SEC play. RJ Austin and Brodie Johnston helped power the Dores to a win against the Tigers on Saturday, tallying two doubles and two RBI apiece.
• Cody Bowker was impressive on Sunday, holding Auburn to two earned runs over 7.0 innings.

On the Mound: Vanderbilt’s pitching staff boasts a 3.57 ERA with 233 strikeouts while holding opposting hitters to a .188 average.

• Vandy’s pitchers have reached double-digit strikeouts 15 of 21 games this season.
• For the season, Vanderbilt’s K/9 rate of 12.1 ranks fifth in the SEC and seventh nationally.
• Vandy is holding opposing teams to 5.95 hits per nine innings, second-best nationally.
• The Dores’ three shutouts are ninth in D1.

RJ Doing RJ Things: Junior RJ Austin is tied for most stolen bases in the SEC with 11.

• Austin enters the weekend batting .341 with a home run, three triples and seven doubles to go with 13 walks.
• He hit two triples in the win over Saint Mary’s on Feb. 21, the first Commodore since Tony Kemp in 2012 to do so.
• Austin’s nine multi-hit games this season is tied for most on the team.

Big Innings: Vandy has scored four or more runs in an inning 14 times this season.

• The Dores have scored seven or more runs in an inning five times including a nine-spot twice.

The Gauntlet: Of Vanderbilt’s 56 games this season, 30 are against opponents who made it to the NCAA Tournament last season and 12 are against opponents who made it to Omaha.

• Six of Vandy’s opponents were ranked in the D1Baseball preseason poll including five in the top 10, three in the top five.
• Seven of Vanderbilt’s remaining nine SEC series will be against an opponent currently ranked by D1Baseball.
• Among SEC teams, Vanderbilt had the second-toughest strength of schedule entering SEC play according to NCAA RPI.
• Entering the Texas A&M series, Vandy’s five Quad 1 RPI wins are second most in college baseball.

Immediate Impact: Newcomers on offense as well as on the mound have been major contributors for the Commodores early in the season.

• From the transfer ranks, Riley Nelson is second on the team in average (.365) and third in RBI (19). Mike Mancini and Mac Rose have also been impressive, combining for 20 RBI and 24 walks.
• Freshmen Brodie Johnston and Rustan Rigdon are off to hot starts as well. Johnston is hitting .354, slugging a team-high .631 and leads all Dores with 21 RBI. Rigdon is fourth on the team with 12 walks and is 8-for-8 on steals.
• On the mound, transfer Cody Bowker has made five starts, posting a 2.08 ERA with 32 strikeouts over 26.0 innings. He’s holding opposing hitters to a .143 clip.
• In total, nine newcomers have made appearances on the mound for Vandy.
• Connor Fennell, a transfer from Dayton, has 13 strikeouts over his first 5.2 innings in a Vandy uniform. He’s allowed no runs and just two hits and one walk.