Feb. 22, 2016
Overall Record: 3-0
Streak: Win 3
Last Week’s Results (3-0)
Friday, February 19 vs. San Diego – Win 8-4
Saturday, February 20 vs. San Diego – Win 13-6
Saturday, February 21 vs. San Diego – Win 17-1
This Week (Times Central)
Tuesday, February 23 at UT Martin – 4 p.m.
Wednesday, February 24 at Eastern Illinois – 4 p.m.
Friday, February 26 vs. Illinois-Chicago – 4 p.m.
Saturday, February 27 vs. Illinois-Chicago – 12 p.m.
Sunday, February 28 vs. Illinois-Chicago – 12 p.m.
Player of the Week Nominee
Jeren Kendall, OF, 6-0, 190, Holmen, Wisc.
Weekly totals: 3G/3GS, 15 AB, 7 R, 10 H, 1-2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 5 SB
Started the season with three straight multi-hit games posting a career-high four hits in the opener followed by two three-hit games vs. San Diego.
Posted a career-first, two-homer game on Friday with two two-run home runs to go along with a single and RBI-single for a career-high five RBI.
Followed up Friday’s game with three more hits on Saturday and two stolen bases, his two-run, two-out single in the sixth broke the game open for the Commodores.
Finished off an amazing weekend with three more hits, finishing a triple shy of the cycle, and two more stolen bases on Sunday.
Hit his third home run of the weekend in the Dores’ eight-run third inning, an opposite field shot off the scoreboard.
Pitcher of the Week Nominee
Jordan Sheffield, RHP, 6-0, 185, Tullahoma, Tenn.
Weekly totals: 1G/1GS, W, 5.0IP, 4H, 2R/1ER, 3BB, 7K
Earned the opening day start, the first of his career, and picked up the win with five solid innings vs. San Diego.
Matched a career-best with seven strikeouts, including four of the first six batters.
Pitched out of two jams, including a two-on, two-out jam in the fifth inning to end his night.
Freshman of the Week Nominee
Alonzo Jones, DH, 5-10, 195, Columbus, Ga.
Weekly totals: 3G/3GS, 10 AB, 4 R, 5 H, 1-2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI
Started all three games of his opening weekend in college baseball going 5-for-10 as the team’s designated hitter against San Diego.
Picked up his first two career hits on Saturday with his first being a two-run double.
Saved his best for last on Sunday with a monster 3-for-3, five-RBI effort.
Belted his first career home run in Sunday’s win, a three-run shot.
Knocked in runs with two singles on Sunday to go along with two walks.
Commodore Notes
No. 3 Vanderbilt opened the 2016 season with a three-game sweep of San Diego outscoring the Toreros 38-11 for the weekend… The Commodores started off with a bang on Friday at Hawkins Field thanks to Jeren Kendall as the sophomore belted two home runs as part of a career-best, four-hit game that included a career-high five RBI and three runs scored… Jason Delay added a career-high three hits of his own and Connor Kaiser scored two runs… Jordan Sheffield picked up the win with five solid innings of work allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with seven strikeouts… Matt Ruppenthal earned his first career save with 1.2 innings of scoreless action… The Dores won a wild one on Saturday as the team gave up six runs in the sixth to erase a six-run lead before scoring seven in the bottom of the frame to cruise to a 13-6 victory… Kendall was at it again with three more hits and three more RBI but it was Kyle Smith’s two-run homer early in the game that got the team going… Smith drove in three runs and finished the game with three hits… Collin Snider picked up the win out of the bullpen allowing one run on three hits in two innings… Vandy finished off the sweep on Sunday in blowout fashion, beating San Diego 17-1… VU scored four runs in the first and 14 in the first three thanks to an eight-run third inning… Three Vandy Boys homered in the eighth inning barrage with Kendall belting a two-run opposite field shot off the scoreboard in left, freshman Alonzo Jones adding his first career home run with a three-run shot into the right-center field bleachers and Smith going back-to-back with Jones to cap the rally… Kendall picked up three hits and three runs in the win with Jones driving in five with three hits… Ryan Johnson earned the win with four scoreless innings of relief… For the weekend 30 of the team’s 34 members saw action, including nine true freshmen… The Commodores are set to host five games this week beginning with UT Martin on Tuesday at Hawkins Field followed by Eastern Illinois on Wednesday and UIC for a three-game series beginning Friday.
