Vanderbilt Baseball ended its regular season with three straight wins against SEC opponent South Carolina, bringing its record to 32-24 overall, with a 14-16 record in conference action.
The Commodores started out hot in the series opener Thursday, winning 9-1, largely because of strong pitching from Connor Fennell and Alex Kranzler. The VandyBoys continued their momentum Friday, jumping out to an early lead and ultimately securing the series with a 9-5 win. The series concluded Saturday with a 5-3 Vanderbilt victory, which saw the Commodores storm back and score five unanswered runs after being down by three in the fourth inning.
Capping off an inconsistent season with a statement series sweep is exactly what the Commodores needed to do as they approach the SEC Tournament. Below are a few takeaways from the final regular-season games.
Fennell’s success continues
It seems like every week we talk about the success Fennell is having on the mound this season. In his lone start in the series, Fennell pitched a strong 6.1 innings, earning his fourth win of the season and holding South Carolina to 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 7 batters. This type of success isn’t new to Fennell, who’s become Vanderbilt’s ace in the second half of this season.
Fennell’s ability to hit the entirety of the zone is one aspect that makes him so dangerous. He can throw a variety of pitches, from breaking balls with good movement to rising fastballs that throw off a hitter’s rhythm. It’s obvious when watching Fennell pitch that his opponents feel the effects of his range of pitches. Many hitters often swing late as they unsuccessfully attempt to distinguish which type of pitch is coming their way.
Fennell is the only pitcher in the Vanderbilt bullpen who has truly found consistency in his pitching game-to-game. The Commodores’ roster is loaded with talent on the mound, specifically young prospects like Wyatt Nadeau, but until they find reliable starts from more than just Fennell, Vanderbilt will likely struggle defensively at some point during the grueling SEC Tournament.
Coach Corbin climbs closer to history
The Commodores’ first win of the series marked head coach Tim Corbin’s 1,100th career win. It was also his 994th win at Vanderbilt, making his 1,000 career wins as the Commodores’ coach just a few games away (four wins away now after the series sweep). While it’s just a number, the achievement represents the culmination of growth he’s helped the Vanderbilt Baseball program achieve as a whole. Since arriving in 2003, Corbin’s Commodores have reached the NCAA Tournament in all but one season. Corbin’s list of accolades includes two College World Series championships and 20 players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, but perhaps the most impactful part of his coaching is his ability to connect with players.
Young players like Nadeau have said that the best part of having Corbin as a coach is his character and connection with the team. He said Corbin has the ability to not only make the team better baseball players, but better men.
If the Commodores are going to have a chance in this year’s SEC Tournament, their character development as people will have to be in full force. When met with adversity this season, like being down 3-0 in the fourth inning of the team’s final game against South Carolina this weekend, the players’ mental toughness has been as important as their play. It’s no secret the team has had an up and down go this year, but come tournament time, everyone’s record is back to 0-0. Vanderbilt’s ability to come together behind the leadership of its coach, as he nears historical win numbers, will be something that may define the future of this season.
Vanderbilt puts the bat to the ball
Vanderbilt had absolutely no trouble getting hits and creating opportunities in its three games against the Gamecocks. In fact, in Thursday’s game, the VandyBoys tallied 9 runs on 14 hits, and all 9 batters recorded at least 1 hit during the game. The team followed this up on Friday by recording six hits in the first inning. These types of hitting performances, where getting on base is not only the goal but the expectation, have been a staple for the Commodores this season.
The VandyBoys currently have five players batting over .300, a staple of their ability to get on base. The impact of this becomes clear when watching the team, where at times it seems like the team is guaranteed to have at least a couple of players reach base in an inning. In fact, in game No. 1 of this series, the Commodores loaded the bases three separate times in the second inning, largely off of punched balls into the outfield that allowed runners to advance one base at a time. It’s an overwhelming playstyle to match up against, and one that puts opposing pitchers constantly against the ropes as innings can spiral out of hand.
Tournament time
As with any sport, the playoffs mean a clean slate for every team. While Vanderbilt has put together some nice strings of games, like we saw this weekend, it’s not clear whether it will be able to find consistency when facing tougher opponents. The No. 12-seeded Commodores will face No. 13 Kentucky in their first game of the SEC Tournament Tuesday, with the winner moving on to play a tough Florida team.
That will be the real test for the VandyBoys. If they play how they did this weekend, they should be able to come out on top against Kentucky (a team they beat 2 games to 1 in an earlier series this season), but Florida is playing at a higher level. Its ability to create offense and retire batters quickly has led to its success and a 37-18 record this season.
The key for Vanderbilt throughout the tournament will be playing the game it knows. By relying on its stronger pitchers in the bullpen, and its consistent hitters who can both hit with power but also get on base, it has a chance to beat Kentucky and even make a splash against higher-ranked opponents like Florida later on. It’s been an unpredictable season in the SEC, and coach Corbin’s team has been no exception. But if the stars align in Hoover, the VandyBoys have a legitimate chance to turn the narrative around.
Vanderbilt will play Kentucky in their first game of the SEC Tournament Tuesday, May 19 in Hoover, Alabama.
