Jim Patterson Stadium - All Times Central
Friday, June 4
Game 1: No. 2 Vanderbilt 8, No. 3 Illinois State 7 (13)
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville 11, No. 4 Saint Louis 2
Saturday, June 5
Game 3: Illinois State vs. Saint Louis - 11 a.m.
Game 4: Vanderbilt vs. Louisville - 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 6
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 11 a.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 - 3 p.m.
Monday, June 7
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary) - 5 p.m.
For more information, visit Louisville's Tournament Central site.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
A little info on Louisville...
by SID
Louisville handled No. 4 seed Saint Louis with ease, winning 11-2 on Friday night to set up Saturday afternoon's showdown.
The Cardinals will be without head coach Dan McDonnell who will sit out the second game of a three game suspension for his altercation with an umpire in the BIG EAST tournament last weekend in Florida.
Due to sickness, ace junior right-hander Thomas Royce (9-1, 2.91 ERA) will not start against the Commodores. Royse, named this week as a third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American, did not start against Saint Louis and Cardinal assistant coach Chris Lemonis said this when asked about him at their post-game press conference last night:
"Thomas could be available (later this weekend)," Lemonis said. "He's been a little under the weather the last day or two."
Louisville will instead turn to freshman right-hander Matt Koch (2-0, 3.55 ERA). He has made 10 appearances on the year and has made five starts down the stretch. Koch has 28 strikeouts and eight walks in 38.0 innings of action.
He made his last start against St. John's on May 27 in the Big East tournament and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. Koch did not factor into the decision as the Cards eventually lost that game 6-5.
Louisville earned the nation's No. 7 overall seed and is hosting an NCAA Regional for the second straight year. The Cardinals (49-12) won their last six games of the regular season before going 2-2 at last week's Big East Championships.
Louisville clinched its second straight Big East Conference regular season title after sweeping Notre Dame in the final regular season series in South Bend.
Louisville's 49 wins this year broke last year's season total of 47 wins, marking a new school record. For Louisville, they are making their fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance.
As a team Louisville is hitting .319 as a team with 87 home runs and 440 RBI.
Louisville has five players with at least 12 home runs, led by Collegiate Baseball All-American Phil Wunderlich's 20 home runs. Andrew Clark leads the team in hitting, sporting a .385 average while Ryan Wright and Wunderlich are hitting .366 and .357, respectively.
Junior right-hander Neil Holland (8-0, 2.10 ERA) is the relief ace and currently leads the nation with 16 saves.
Louisville handled No. 4 seed Saint Louis with ease, winning 11-2 on Friday night to set up Saturday afternoon's showdown. The Cardinals will be without head coach Dan McDonnell who will sit out the second game of a three game suspension for his altercation with an umpire in the BIG EAST tournament last weekend in Florida.
Due to sickness, ace junior right-hander Thomas Royce (9-1, 2.91 ERA) will not start against the Commodores. Royse, named this week as a third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American, did not start against Saint Louis and Cardinal assistant coach Chris Lemonis said this when asked about him at their post-game press conference last night:
"Thomas could be available (later this weekend)," Lemonis said. "He's been a little under the weather the last day or two."
Louisville will instead turn to freshman right-hander Matt Koch (2-0, 3.55 ERA). He has made 10 appearances on the year and has made five starts down the stretch. Koch has 28 strikeouts and eight walks in 38.0 innings of action.
He made his last start against St. John's on May 27 in the Big East tournament and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. Koch did not factor into the decision as the Cards eventually lost that game 6-5.
Louisville earned the nation's No. 7 overall seed and is hosting an NCAA Regional for the second straight year. The Cardinals (49-12) won their last six games of the regular season before going 2-2 at last week's Big East Championships.
Louisville clinched its second straight Big East Conference regular season title after sweeping Notre Dame in the final regular season series in South Bend.
Louisville's 49 wins this year broke last year's season total of 47 wins, marking a new school record. For Louisville, they are making their fourth straight NCAA Regional appearance.
As a team Louisville is hitting .319 as a team with 87 home runs and 440 RBI.
Louisville has five players with at least 12 home runs, led by Collegiate Baseball All-American Phil Wunderlich's 20 home runs. Andrew Clark leads the team in hitting, sporting a .385 average while Ryan Wright and Wunderlich are hitting .366 and .357, respectively.
Junior right-hander Neil Holland (8-0, 2.10 ERA) is the relief ace and currently leads the nation with 16 saves.
Video highlights of Vanderbilt's victory
by Barca Blog
WKRN sports reporter Joe Dubin filed this report on Vanderbilt's win over Illinois State Friday with footage of Jack Armstrong's game-winning single in the bottom of the 13th.
Photos: Vanderbilt 8, Illinois State 7 (13)
Vanderbilt photographer John Russell was at Jim Patterson Stadium Friday afternoon and captured these images on the Commodores' thrilling 8-7 win over Illinois State in 13 innings. View Photo Gallery
UL's Wright comments on Vandy rematch
by Barca Blog
Louisville second baseman Ryan Wright was 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs in the Cards' 11-2 win over Saint Louis Friday night. Following the game, Wright talked about UL's matchup with Vanderbilt (Saturday at 3 p.m. CT).
On anything extra facing Vanderbilt...
"No, nothing extra. The media likes to make a big deal about how we beat them last year and the 17 inning game down there this year, but they're just a really talented ballclub top to bottom, have a lot of really good arms and so we are expected to have a really tight game just battling it out."
On going against Sonny Gray...
"I was kind of expecting it. It's exciting because he is one of the top arms in the country and one of the top arms in his conference. We're going to have to be ready, he throws really hard and that's what the postseason baseball is all about, being able to hit the fastball."
On having an advantage with Vanderbilt emptying their bullpen today...
"I guess they used a lot more arms than they needed to, but at the same time I'm sure they have three or four good arms out of the bullpen that didn't throw today. Back to that 17 inning game down in Nashville this year it seems like they ran out arm after arm, so I'm sure they have a few arms left. Obviously, it would be nice if we could get the starter out of there early, but we're going to have to scratch and claw to get every run."
On anything extra facing Vanderbilt...
"No, nothing extra. The media likes to make a big deal about how we beat them last year and the 17 inning game down there this year, but they're just a really talented ballclub top to bottom, have a lot of really good arms and so we are expected to have a really tight game just battling it out."
On going against Sonny Gray...
"I was kind of expecting it. It's exciting because he is one of the top arms in the country and one of the top arms in his conference. We're going to have to be ready, he throws really hard and that's what the postseason baseball is all about, being able to hit the fastball."
On having an advantage with Vanderbilt emptying their bullpen today...
"I guess they used a lot more arms than they needed to, but at the same time I'm sure they have three or four good arms out of the bullpen that didn't throw today. Back to that 17 inning game down in Nashville this year it seems like they ran out arm after arm, so I'm sure they have a few arms left. Obviously, it would be nice if we could get the starter out of there early, but we're going to have to scratch and claw to get every run."
Video: Dores discuss win over ISU
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin, Andrew Giobbi, Jack Armstrong, and Brian Harris answer questions from the media following Vanderbilt's 8-7 win over Illinois State in 13 innings Friday at the NCAA Louisville Regional.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 1
Part 2
Friday, June 4, 2010
David Rutz: Bullpen provides extra relief
by David Rutz (Photo by John Russell)In a tense NCAA Regional contest that lasted nearly five hours, the relievers kept Vanderbilt players and fans, well, relieved. Read More
Cards top Billikens, 11-2
by Barca Blog
No. 1 seed Louisville rallied from an early deficit by scoring 10 unanswered runs to hand No. 4 seed Saint Louis an 11-2 loss Friday night at Jim Patterson Stadium. With the win, the Cards moved into the winners' bracket of the NCAA Louisville Regional and will next face Vanderbilt Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Illinois State and Saint Louis will meet in an elimination game at 11 a.m. CT.
Friday's Results
No. 2 Vanderbilt 8, No. 3 Illinois State 7 (13)
No. 1 Louisville 11, No. 4 Saint Louis 2
Saturday's Schedule (View Bracket)
No. 3 Illinois State vs. No. 4 Saint Louis - 11 a.m. CT*
*elimination game
No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 1 Louisville - 3 p.m. CT
No. 1 seed Louisville rallied from an early deficit by scoring 10 unanswered runs to hand No. 4 seed Saint Louis an 11-2 loss Friday night at Jim Patterson Stadium. With the win, the Cards moved into the winners' bracket of the NCAA Louisville Regional and will next face Vanderbilt Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Illinois State and Saint Louis will meet in an elimination game at 11 a.m. CT.
Friday's Results
No. 2 Vanderbilt 8, No. 3 Illinois State 7 (13)
No. 1 Louisville 11, No. 4 Saint Louis 2
Saturday's Schedule (View Bracket)
No. 3 Illinois State vs. No. 4 Saint Louis - 11 a.m. CT*
*elimination game
No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 1 Louisville - 3 p.m. CT
Slow Guy Revisited...at least for Giobbi.
By Eric JonesIt was a game that several people were wondering whether or not it would ever end. For the Commodores, the 13th inning was very lucky indeed, getting the 8-7 win over Illinois State. It seemed like just a day ago Andrew Giobbi was a featured player in a NCAA Regional preview video dubiously dubbed, "Slow Guys." Okay, actually it was just yesterday.
After the game, Gio was quick to point out after scoring the winning run that he didn't want to hear anymore about being slow. To his credit, Andrew did point out the nice fadeaway slide into home plate. Although admitting to having to keep up his energy (Power Bars and fruit) through tortuous heat, there is no doubt he is ready to build on this win and a 3-for-7 day at the plate with an RBI and that precious run scored at the end.
Corbs did not appear to hesitate Giobbi as he was running around the third base bag. Maybe he just knew Gio just wouldn't accept being thrown out at the plate. Slow or not, he was safe and that's all that really mattered.
Final: Vanderbilt 8, Illinois State 7 (13)
Check VUcommodores.com for complete coverage later tonight including postgame interviews, photos and more. (Photo by John Russell)
Baseball starting lineup vs. Illinois State
By Travis YoungWeather Report: partly cloudy, 87 degrees. Winds blowing out to right field at 9 mph. The playing surface at Jim Patterson Stadium is all fieldturf so the playing surface is right around 97 degrees.
Here is Vanderbilt's starting lineup vs. the Redbirds
1. Brian Harris SS
2. Anthony Gomez 2B
3. Aaron Westlake 1B
4. Jason Esposito 3B
5. Joe Loftus RF
6. Andrew Giobbi C
7. Curt Casali DH
8. Bryan Johns LF
9. Connor Harrell CF
Taylor Hill SP
Taylor Hill (5-5, 3.96 ERA) gets the nod for Vanderbilt today on the mound after long discussions who would start. SID broke the news last night on vucommodores.com. Hill faced the Redbirds on March 6 at Hawkins Field and limited the Redbirds to two runs on seven hits in seven and a third innings of work. He struck out six and did not walk a batter. The Tennessee native faced the minimum through four innings and did not allow a run until the seventh.
Illinois State will start their ace junior right-hander Corey Maines (6-3, 4.45) against the Commodores.
Click here to find out how you can follow the action online.
Commodores used to FieldTurf
By David Rutz Vanderbilt’s seen plenty of the FieldTurf of Louisville’s Jim Patterson Stadium, having played there at last year’s NCAA Regional as well as during the 2009 regular season. The synthetic fielding surface also is used by the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in Major League Baseball, as well as Louisville’s football team at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
The Commodores have played on the surface back home too.
“Not too big a deal, really,” said Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin. “We go on the turf quite a bit in the (John Rich practice field) because of the amount of rainy days that we have from January to February. We may have practiced on that field 10 times, taken batting practice on there, taken tons of ground balls.”
That particular aspect of the playing surface proves useful for infielders who are less likely to have to deal with bad hops. Skip, skip and it’s in the glove.
“You get much more true hops, so it’s not a bad thing,” said second baseman Anthony Gomez. “Just sliding’s a little different.”
That and the temperature aspect. The playing surface at Jim Patterson gets much hotter than natural grass like the Commodores enjoy at Hawkins Field.
The temperature’s expected to reach 87 degrees today in Louisville and the playing surface is at nearly 100 degrees right now.
“You can even see the heat rising off the turf,” Gomez noted during Thursday’s practice.
A little about Illinois State
by SID
Illinois State is making its third NCAA Regional appearance and first since 1994. The Redbirds (31-22) captured its first-ever share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship after going 15-6 in conference play. Illinois State was also crowned the 2010 MVC Tournament Champions after going 4-0 last week in Wichita, Kan., including a 17-8 win over top-seeded Wichita State in the championship game for its first conference tournament title since 1994.
Following the regular season, first-year head coach Mark Kingston was tabbed the Valley's Coach of the Year after leading ISU's to its highest win total since 2001.
Individually, Illinois State is led by Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Kevin Tokarski. Tokarski joined five other Redbirds on the Valley's All-Conference team, including first-team relievers, Kenny Long and Ryan Copeland. ISU third baseman Ryan Court and designated hitter Anthony Ruffolo earned second-team All-Valley honors while catcher Matt Mirabal was named honorable mention.
Tokarski, a redshirt a sophomore, ranks among the nation's leaders in batting average (.429), doubles (25) and on-base percentage (.551) while reaching base safely in 48 of 50 games this season.
Long is among the nation's leaders in ERA, producing a MVC best 1.37 ERA and nine saves in 30 appearances.
As a team, Illinois State is batting .295 collectively while the pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.35 and an opponent batting average of .271.
Today's starter right-hander Corey Maines is 6-3 overall with a 4.45 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 37 walks in 83.0 innings. In Missouri Valley play he was 2-1 with a 6.11 ERA in seven starts with 26 strikeouts and 18 walks in 35.1 innings.
Maines made two starts at the MVC tourney last week, throwing seven innings of five-hit shutout baseball against Bradley in the opener and then started in the championship game against Wichita State on Sunday. He allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings with four strikeouts and a walk.
Illinois State is making its third NCAA Regional appearance and first since 1994. The Redbirds (31-22) captured its first-ever share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship after going 15-6 in conference play. Illinois State was also crowned the 2010 MVC Tournament Champions after going 4-0 last week in Wichita, Kan., including a 17-8 win over top-seeded Wichita State in the championship game for its first conference tournament title since 1994.
Following the regular season, first-year head coach Mark Kingston was tabbed the Valley's Coach of the Year after leading ISU's to its highest win total since 2001.
Individually, Illinois State is led by Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Kevin Tokarski. Tokarski joined five other Redbirds on the Valley's All-Conference team, including first-team relievers, Kenny Long and Ryan Copeland. ISU third baseman Ryan Court and designated hitter Anthony Ruffolo earned second-team All-Valley honors while catcher Matt Mirabal was named honorable mention.
Tokarski, a redshirt a sophomore, ranks among the nation's leaders in batting average (.429), doubles (25) and on-base percentage (.551) while reaching base safely in 48 of 50 games this season.
Long is among the nation's leaders in ERA, producing a MVC best 1.37 ERA and nine saves in 30 appearances.
As a team, Illinois State is batting .295 collectively while the pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.35 and an opponent batting average of .271.
Today's starter right-hander Corey Maines is 6-3 overall with a 4.45 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 37 walks in 83.0 innings. In Missouri Valley play he was 2-1 with a 6.11 ERA in seven starts with 26 strikeouts and 18 walks in 35.1 innings.
Maines made two starts at the MVC tourney last week, throwing seven innings of five-hit shutout baseball against Bradley in the opener and then started in the championship game against Wichita State on Sunday. He allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings with four strikeouts and a walk.
Around the Web: NCAA Regional preview
by Barca BlogLet's take a trip Around the Web to get ready for day one of the NCAA Louisville Regional. No 2 seed Vanderbilt will take on No. 3 seed Illinois State at 1 p.m. CT, followed by No. 1 seed Louisville against No. 4 seed Saint Louis at 5 p.m. CT.
Official Previews: VU | Louisville | Illinois St. | Saint Louis
Aaron Westlake regains his groove
by Jeff Lockridge, The Tennesean
Vanderbilt's Aaron Westlake decided it was time to put his foot down and begin picking his foot back up. Read More
Brewer good to pitch in Louisville Regional
by Jeff Lockridge, The Tennesean
Vanderbilt pitcher Russell Brewer should be OK to come out of the bullpen and give Vanderbilt its reliable reliever on the back end of ballgames this weekend in Louisville. Read More
Commodores might face an angry opponent
by David Boclair, The City Paper
Vanderbilt’s Jason Esposito did everything he could to diffuse any bad feelings on the part of Louisville’s players in the wake of the Commodores’ 11-10 victory in a non-conference contest on May 11. Read More
Hayes, Vandy set to play in NCAA Tournament
by Matt Vines, Jackson Sun
No. 2 seed Vanderbilt (41-17) isn’t overlooking Missouri Valley Conference champion and No. 3 seed Illinois State (31-22), whom the Commodores beat 9-2 in Nashville in March. Read More
It's a new season for Cards
by Jody Demling, Courier-Journal
One week after a disappointing showing in the Big East Conference Tournament, the University of Louisville baseball team is ready to continue its record-setting year. Read More
Mohawks don't make the cut
by Jody Demling, Courier-Journal
One week after a disappointing showing in the Big East Conference Tournament, the University of Louisville baseball team is ready to continue its record-setting year. Read More
Redbirds ready to take their swings at Vandy
by Randy Reinhardt, Pantagraph
Ripe with confidence after dispatching a nemesis in Wichita State ace Jordan Cooper in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title game, Illinois State’s hitters believe they can hit quality pitching. Read More
SLU pitcher looks to make mark
by Steve Overbey, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
There have been a few games this season that have showed off the capabilities of St. Louis University starting pitcher Bryant Cotton. Read More
Billikens loaded with confidence
by Steve Overbey, St. Louis Globe-Democrat
For Saint Louis University junior Jon Myers, the reality of reaching the NCAA Tournament didn't quite sink in at first. Read More
Previewing the Louisville Regional
by Kendall Rogers, Rivals.com
It’s just like last season when the Cardinals faced Vanderbilt for the Louisville Regional title. Read More
Louisville and Norwich Regionals
by Mark Etheridge, SEbaseball.com
Vanderbilt and Louisville have some history as the Cardinals beat the Commodores in the Louisville Regional last year. Read More
Breaking down Louisville Regional
by Aaron Fitt, BaseballAmerica.com
When Vandy's power arms are on their games, the Commodores are very tough to beat. Read More
What to watch for in regional play
by Jeremy Mills, ESPN.com
Here are some things to watch for as the regionals begin Friday. Read More
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Giobbi and Casali talk regional
by Barca Blog
Mascots. Field Turf. Shaved heads. And Mom's lasagna.
Andrew Giobbi and Curt Casali cover it all to get you ready for the Commodores' regional opener against Illinois State on Friday.
Mascots. Field Turf. Shaved heads. And Mom's lasagna.
Andrew Giobbi and Curt Casali cover it all to get you ready for the Commodores' regional opener against Illinois State on Friday.
And Friday's starting pitcher is .....
by SIDJunior right-hander Taylor Hill will get the start for the Commodores in tomorrow's opening round game against Illinois State at the NCAA Louisville Regional.
Hill (5-5, 3.96) already faced the Redbirds on March 6 at Hawkins Field and limited the Redbirds to two runs on seven hits in seven and a third innings of work. He struck out six and did not walk a batter. The Tennessee native faced the minimum through four innings and did not allow a run until the seventh.
Barca Blog mentioned earlier (read more) the decision Corbin wrestled with in whether to start sophomore right-hander Sonny Gray or Hill. The coaches decided on Hill for game one and Gray will get the nod in game two.
Illinois State will start their ace junior right-hander Corey Maines (6-3, 4.45) against the Commodores. More info on the Redbirds will be posted on the blog tomorrow morning.
Photos: Practice session in Louisville
by Barca BlogThe Vanderbilt baseball team spent Thursday morning getting reacquainted with Jim Patterson Stadium, the site of the 2010 NCAA Louisville Regional.
The Commodores were allowed to practice for one hour at the facility in preparation for Friday's opener against Illinois State.
Click here to view 50+ photos from the session.
Patience is a virtue
by Barca BlogDavid Rutz of VUcommodores.com takes a closer look at Vanderbilt's offensive strategy under first-year assistant coach Josh Holliday. Patience under Holliday pays off
And since we're on the topic, why not take the "Holliday" road to Omaha?
Anderson auditions for Oprah’s new show
By Ryan Schulz
Former Vanderbilt basketball great Chantelle Anderson recently retired from the WNBA and is now chasing her dream of hosting a television show.
In hopes of catching her big break, Anderson submitted an audition tape to land a spot on Oprah Winfrey’s new reality show called Your OWN Show.
A member of Vanderbilt’s inaugural hall of fame class, Anderson is Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer. You can view Anderson’s audition video and vote for her by clicking here.
Former Vanderbilt basketball great Chantelle Anderson recently retired from the WNBA and is now chasing her dream of hosting a television show.In hopes of catching her big break, Anderson submitted an audition tape to land a spot on Oprah Winfrey’s new reality show called Your OWN Show.
A member of Vanderbilt’s inaugural hall of fame class, Anderson is Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer. You can view Anderson’s audition video and vote for her by clicking here.
Video: The Slow Guys
by Barca Blog
The results of VUcommodores.com's annual baseball poll have been tabulated.
I'm pleased to announce that fan favorite Andrew Giobbi headlined the list of award winners, although, the senior from Portland, Maine wasn't too thrilled about his selection.
Find out why in the video below (with a special cameo by fellow catcher Drew Fann).
The results of VUcommodores.com's annual baseball poll have been tabulated.
I'm pleased to announce that fan favorite Andrew Giobbi headlined the list of award winners, although, the senior from Portland, Maine wasn't too thrilled about his selection.
Find out why in the video below (with a special cameo by fellow catcher Drew Fann).
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Rutz: Opening game crucial for Dores
by Barca Blog (Photo by John Russell)How important is it to win the first game of an NCAA Regional?
David Rutz came up with this statistic:
Last season, every team that advanced to the Super Regional won its opening game. In the past five tournaments, the 80 teams to move on to Super Regionals have gone 74-6 in such contests.Read more on the topic in Rutz's latest article on VUcommodores.com. Click Here
NCAA Louisville Regional preview
by SIDVanderbilt is making its fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance and its second straight trip to the Louisville Regional starting on Friday afternoon. The second-seeded Commodores will take on the third-seeded Illinois State Redbirds in the opening game of the tourney on Friday at 1 p.m. CT/ 2 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. Click here for game notes and more.
Video: Life in the bullpen
By Travis Young
With a stockpile of hard throwing righthanders and a pair of saavy lefthanders, the Vanderbilt bullpen has been a major strength to this year’s team. So out of curiosity, I caught up with a couple of relievers to see what it’s like to watch the game from the ‘pen and find out what really goes on down there.
Click below to watch the video.
With a stockpile of hard throwing righthanders and a pair of saavy lefthanders, the Vanderbilt bullpen has been a major strength to this year’s team. So out of curiosity, I caught up with a couple of relievers to see what it’s like to watch the game from the ‘pen and find out what really goes on down there.
Click below to watch the video.
Corbin undecided on starting pitcher
By Barca Blog (Photo by Jimmy Jones)Coaches make many tough decisions during the postseason.
Determining the strategy for a starting rotation might be the toughest.
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin faces that dilemma going into the NCAA Louisville Regional this weekend. Do you go with No. 1 ace Sonny Gray in the opener against Illinois State, or do you give Taylor Hill a chance to face the Redbirds again?
"You know what my nights have been filled with right now?" responded Corbin when asked if he'll keep the starting rotation consistent in regards to the regular season.
"The thought is, 'How do you win the tournament? You could win the battle but might lose the war, so how do you approach it that way? If you keep everything consistent, you probably sleep well right now. But do you sleep during the tournament?' Not so sure.
"If you want to pitch off, and you're thinking, 'What's the best way to win this tournament as a whole?' You might pitch Sonny in game two. But I don't know. I'm just not sure."
Corbin has traditionally kept the rotation the same in the regional format. The one time he made a change, it didn't work out. In 2008, Caleb Cotham got the call over Mike Minor in the opener against Oklahoma in Tempe, Ariz., but the Commodores lost 8-5 and never recovered from the losers' bracket.
It's not that easy of a decision when you consider Hill's successful outing against Illinois State on March 6. He held the Redbirds' offense in check in the Commodores' 9-2 win, allowing only two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in 7.1 innings. Do you give him another shot at ISU and hold Gray back for the second game?
You also can't ignore the importance of winning the first game in a regional, something the Commodores have failed to do in their last two NCAA trips. Gray has anchored the rotation all year, and was dominant in his two postseason appearances in Louisville last year. He threw eight shutout innings against Indiana in an elimination game, and pitched the final 1.2 innings in the regional championship against Louisville.
Let the debate begin.
"I'll tell you one thing: once I've made the decision, I'm going to sleep," Corbin added. "The decision will be made and we'll go forward. Right now, I'm trying to look at both sides to see what the best route is to winning this regional."
Video of the Day: How do I make a tough decision? I rely on Joey Gladstone and Jesse Katsopolis to tell me the pros and the cons. Works every time. Click to Enjoy
McDonnell suspended three games
by SID
Louisville's head baseball coach Dan McDonnell has been suspended for three games because of his actions at the Big East tournament last weekend in Florida.
Click here for more details.
Click here for more details.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
How to watch the Louisville Regional
by Barca Blog
Although the NCAA Louisville Regional will not be televised this weekend, the Cardinals' official site, http://www.uoflsports.com, plans to offer free live video for every game. I've been told their setup will be similar to last year with a one-camera view of the action from behind home plate.
Joe Fisher's radio broadcast will also be available on WNSR 560 AM and VUcommodores.com.
The complete schedule for the tournament is posted below.
All times listed are Central Time.
Friday, June 4
Game 1: No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 3 Illinois State - 1 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Saint Louis - 5 p.m.
Saturday, June 5
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 11 a.m.
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 6
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 11 a.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 - 3 p.m.
Monday, June 7
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary) - 5 p.m.
Although the NCAA Louisville Regional will not be televised this weekend, the Cardinals' official site, http://www.uoflsports.com, plans to offer free live video for every game. I've been told their setup will be similar to last year with a one-camera view of the action from behind home plate.
Joe Fisher's radio broadcast will also be available on WNSR 560 AM and VUcommodores.com.
The complete schedule for the tournament is posted below.
All times listed are Central Time.
Friday, June 4
Game 1: No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 3 Illinois State - 1 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Saint Louis - 5 p.m.
Saturday, June 5
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 11 a.m.
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 6
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 11 a.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 - 3 p.m.
Monday, June 7
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary) - 5 p.m.
Bus trip opportunity for NCAA Regional
The Vanderbilt Athletics Department has announced a chartered bus trip to watch the Commodore Baseball team play on Saturday at the NCAA Regional Tournament held at the University of Louisville. Fans will have the opportunity to be on site to support Head Coach Tim Corbin and the Commodores as they take the first steps in the battle to get to Omaha. Read More
Giobbi: Dores not looking ahead
Prior to practice on Tuesday, senior catcher Andrew Giobbi talked with local media about the Commodores' upcoming matchup with Illinois State in the NCAA Louisville Regional.
Ogilvy works out with Bucks
By A. Boggs (Photo: NBA.com)The kind folks at the Milwaukee Bucks sent me an email about their website, nba.com/bucks, which has an interview with A.J. Ogilvy after his workout with the team on Tuesday.
Here's the link to read Ogilvy's comments after the workout. We want to wish him luck as he gets ready for the draft, which takes place June 24 in New York City.
May issue of Commodore Nation
By Ryan Schulz
The May issue of Commodore Nation is now available online by clicking below.
Included are features on catcher Andrew Giobbi and tennis player Scott Lieberman. Also included is a story on brothers Kenny and Robert Diehl and how Vanderbilt baseball has impacted them. Much more is included inside.
To view more archived issues, click here.
The May issue of Commodore Nation is now available online by clicking below.
Included are features on catcher Andrew Giobbi and tennis player Scott Lieberman. Also included is a story on brothers Kenny and Robert Diehl and how Vanderbilt baseball has impacted them. Much more is included inside.
To view more archived issues, click here.
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