The guys just keep gettin it done, One more to go for Vanderbilt Baseball in Hoover

Another phenomenal performance by our baseball team on Saturday at the Hoover Met as we blasted Florida, 11-6. We moved to 40-18 on the season and keep boosting our resume for the NCAA Tournament as far as our national seed status is concerned. We were a 6 yesterday by D1Baseball.com, so we’ll see what happens after today. The top 8 host a Regional, and if that team wins, a Super Regional. It’s by far the best path to Omaha.

But, we’ve got one more challenge to hurdle. The Texas A&M Aggies are our opponent today at 2 PM CT on ESPN2 in the SEC Championship Game at the Hoover Met. They are 35-24 overall and finished 14-16 in the SEC. We finished 19-11 in the conference. They are a No.10 seed and we’re No.4.

Yesterday, our young freshman JD Thompson gave us just what we needed. He wasn’t overwhelming, but outstanding in that he gave us some good innings. JD went four against that ferocious Florida lineup, gave up 8 hits, 5 earned, with 2 walks and 6 K’s, JD’s fastball was excellent. It’s low to mid 90’s, but his location was superb. Coach Corbin calls JD, an “Old Soul.” I remember he called guys like Carson Fulmer, Dansby and Yaz that because they were such mature competitors and just tremendous people. Corbs thinks that way of JD. He’s going to help us going forward.

Grayson Moore came in and pitched 2.1, gave up 3 hits, 1 run, with 0 walks and 2 K’s. Jack Anderson struggled walking the first two hitters he faced to start the eighth inning, but the great big brother, Nick Maldo, came in and shut the door in the 8th and got them 3 up, 3 down in the ninth with 0 walks and 2 K’s. Feel really good about Maldo coming out of the pen with us in front in the 8th or 9th going forward. He only threw 25 pitches, so in an emergency situation in the 9th today, Maldo could pitch. But we Must be careful with him. Ryan Ginther hurt his arm throwing in the bullpen yesterday, so we won’t have him. Really hopeful we can have Ryan back for the Regional next week at the Hawk.

Alan Espinal has emerged for us, and was terrific behind and at the plate yesterday. Alan made a game changing play in the first inning when Florida second baseman Cade Kurland tried to steal second with the ball bouncing in front of Espinal, But Alan grabbed it and fired it to 2nd baseman RJ Austin who applied the tag for a huge out number one. JD got them out in the first. Just a tremendous play by our junior. Love what Alan can do for us today and going forward.

Espinal hit a homer to right central in the second and was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and a Ribeye. RJ Schreck had a run scoring single, and the other great RJ, Austin, had a 2 run double in the first that somehow found a way to stay inside the foul pole in left. What a player RJ Austin is, and Shreck is once again heating up. The younger Maldo, Chris, posted two hits, including a run scoring double to right, a key one at that, and added 2 RBIs. Love that family. Hoping we can get more Maldos in the future.

EBJ was superb again. He drove in a run with a single to right, he scored twice and stole his 37th base of the season. Bradfield Jr. is now 37-of-44 in stolen bases. But his main impact on the game came on defense. Enrique ran down a ball in left central and another in right central that not too many Major Leaguers can. They were huge outs and kept us comfortably in front. EBJ is just a total stud. Senior first baseman Parker Noland had a pair of hits. Love what Park is doing for us. He made some nice pickups at first from some tougher throws to field.

It was just an exceptional performance by our team.

Now, we’ve got the championship matchup today. I’m pretty positive sophomore right hander Greyson Carter will start for us today. Greyson is 2-1 with a 4.08 ERA. In 28.2 innings of work, he’s walked 28 and struck out 23. He has given up 1 double, 0 triples and 3 homers. Opponents are hitting .190 against him. I’m not positive about Greyson, Coach Corbin and Coach Brown surprised me yesterday and were stellar in that decision, but it would make sense that Greyson gets the ball today. Maybe Thomas Schultz can throw some, David Horn, Jack Anderson, maybe Bryce Cunningham, though that’s doubtful, and then possibly, maybe Nick for closing it out in a low pitch count, though we want to win this.

For them, and this is definitely a guesstimate but I went over their pitchers used for the week, looked at their stats, checked their Rivals and 247 Boards, checked A&M’s twitter, and looked at our twitter, and saw where Wyatt Tucker and Will Johnston haven’t pitched. Tucker is a junior righty, who is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA. He has started 4 games. Unclear if he’s healthy. Tucker has thrown 12 innings with 10 walks and 6 K’s. He’s given up 3 homers.

The other option is lefty Will Johnston, who is 3-3 with a 5.16 ERA in 5 starts. In 45.1 innings pitched, he’s walked 29 and struck out 68. He’s given up 6 doubles, 8 homers and opponents are hitting .240 against him. Opponents are hitting .250 against Tucker.

Can’t guarantee above. This is a band aid pitching match-up, though our guy, Greyson, is capable of giving us some good innings. Greyson is a mid to high 90’s thrower with a nice curve and change. Have confidence in GC.

So, let’s get the job done once again and leave Hoover with our 4th SEC Championship Trophy and third under the great Coach Corbin. What a Coach. We’ve won the trophy in 1980, 2007,with the great David Price, Pedro Alvarez and Mike Minor team, along with our national champion 2019 team. In that championship game against Ole Miss in 2019, we were down 10-1 early in the game and came back and won it. it was magical.

In 2007, Beth and I went to the semifinal game at the Hoover Met against Ole Miss and we were down 10-6 in the 10th to the Rebels. At the end of the Rebels half of the inning, I said to Beth, “Let’s go.” But my wife, being the eternal optimist that she is, told me to “let’s see what happens.” Sure enough, that great 2007 team scored 5 in the bottom of the 10th, and won it majestically. We went on to the championship game where we disposed of Arkansas. Thought that was our year to win it all with David, Pedro, Mikey and Ryan Flaherty among a stellar group of players. That was a tough loss in the Regional to Michigan on a Monday Night. But it was an amazing team. I’ll never forget them. They laid the foundation that led to the superior success we’ve had as a baseball program under Tim Corbin.

Let’s put one more brick in the cement today and continue this amazing legacy of Vanderbilt Baseball. Have an awesome day and Anchor Down.