Our baseball team faces the LSU Bengal Tigers this weekend beginning tonight at the Hawk at 7. Friday’s game is at 6 PM and Saturday’s finale is at 1 PM. ESPN2 will televise tonight, SEC Network+ Friday and SEC Network on Saturday.
We are ranked 21st in the country and are 35-16 overall and 14-13 in the SEC. We are tied for fifth with LSU in the overall standings, so this weekend is important for seeding in the SEC Tournament. LSU is 34-18 overall and 14-13 in the conference. They are unranked.
Pitching for us tonight is freshman lefty Devin Futrell (8-1, 2.52). Devin has pitched very well in midweek games, but after a solid first four innings last Friday Night at Arkansas, he was hit pretty hard in the fifth. I trust him though. Friday’s starter is Christian Little (1-1, 2.96). Such a talented pitcher with a power arm. Christian could provide a big lift for us with a good start tomorrow. On Saturday, Chris McElvain will get the start. He’s 5-4 with a 3.93 ERA. Chris has gotten hit pretty hard his last two outings at Georgia and Arkansas, so he needs to step it up for us this Saturday. Carter Holton is being saved for the SEC Tournament first game start I am gathering.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., the reigning SEC player of the week, was 4 for 5 Tuesday in our 7-2 victory over Middle Tennessee and stole his 41st base. Bradfield Jr. is now 41-for-41 in stolen bases. Dom Keegan hit his 12th homer and doubled with 2 Ribeyes to go along with those hits. Spencer Jones was 2 for 4 with a triple and also drove home two. Freshman right hander Bryce Cunningham pitched 4, gave up 4 hits, 1 earned run, with 2 walks and 2 K’s. Bryce was solid and that’ll help going forward, when we get into the postseason and we’ll need all hands on deck on the mound,. Sophomore Grayson Moore was very good as well going 4 innings, and giving up 2 hits, 1 earned, with a 0 walks and 5 K’s. Grayson was outstanding. Freshman lefty Ryan Ginther finished it off with an inning of 1 hit, no run ball with 1 walk and 2 K’s.
So, excellent performance from the team. I imagine the Hawk will be rocking this weekend starting tonight. We need to bring our lunch pales and our hard hats and get the job done at home this weekend.
Men’s Golf
Our Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Team finished 20 under at the Palm Beach Gardens Regional to capture first place by 12 shots over Florida State, which finished at 8 under. We qualified for the NCAA Championships along with No.22 FSU, No. 10 Frorida (-2), No. 40 South Florida (+12) and College of Charleston (+14) out of our regional on PGA National Resort Champions Course.
Freshman Gordon Sargent was superb firing a 6 under 66, and senior Reid Davenport shot a 5 under 67. Fifth year senior Harrison Ott shot even par 72 and sophomore William Moll shot 72 as well. Sargent, who had 6 birdies on his first 12 holes and no bogeys for the day, finished tied for 4th individually. Davenport, birdied 4 of his final 5 holes, and finished tied for 2nd overall. Ott finished tied for 11th and Moll finished tied for 19th. Cole Sherwood, who’s been stellar this year and was in the Regional, had a little bit of an off day with a 2 over par 74, but we definitely trust Cole going forward into the NCAA Championships. We start the NCAA Championships a week from tomorrow, Friday, 5/27, at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ. with 29 other teams in the 30 team field. More on that early next week. We’ll be playing the Raptor Course.
Women’s Golf
Our Vanderbilt Women’s Golf begins play at the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Club tomorrow. The NCAA Championships, played on the Raptor Course, will be VU’s 11th NCAA Championship appearance after an impressive first place finish at the Vanderbilt Regional at the Legends Club in Franklin, TN.
So, huge stuff for the women. Will keep you apprised of their progress over the weekend along with baseball.