Vanderbilt’s Season Comes To An End After Losing To Oregon State 7-6 In Regionals

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Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt baseball’s season has come to a close after dropping the winner-take-all game 7-6 to No. 3 Oregon State in the Corvallis Regionals.

Vandy kicked off regionals with a 3-2 loss to San Diego but went on to win its next three games against New Mexico State, San Diego again and Oregon State.

Monday’s elimination game started off with Sophomore pitcher Christian Little taking the mound and giving up a leadoff home run to Justin Boyd, giving the Beavers an early 1-0 lead. Little went on to pitch three innings, giving up one run on 70 pitches.

In the fourth inning, the Dores got on the board off a Spencer Jones two-run home run. Vandy reliever Patrick Reilly came in and gave up a one-out double in the fourth, then a two-out single to Kyle Dernedde allowing Oregon State to tie the game at 2-2.

In the fifth inning with two outs, Enrique Bradfield Jr. made a jump for third and, on an errant throw to second to try to get Javier Vaz out, Bradfield came in to score, giving the Commodores a 3-2 lead.

Jacob Melton responded for the Beavers by launching a one-out, two-run homer in the bottom half to make it a 4-3 game. Kyle Dernedde’s two-run single with the bases loaded later in the inning made it 6-3. Vanderbilt was never able to retake the lead, even after scoring three runs, two of which were unearned. 

In the bottom of the seventh with the game tied at 6-6, Matthew Gretler hit a solo home run to call game for the Beavers.

Jones was named Corvallis Regional Most Outstanding Player, even with Vanderbilt failing to advance. Vaz, Devin Futrell, Tate Kolwyck, and Parker Noland were also named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Commodores finished their lackluster season with a record of 39-23.

Volunteers Come Back To Beat Georgia Tech, Advance To Super Regionals

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Jorel Ortega. Photo: by Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee baseball scored six runs in the ninth inning on Sunday night (June 5) to pull-off a 9-6 comeback win against Georgia Tech and punch their ticket to their second-straight NCAA Super Regional.

The Volunteers swept the Knoxville Regional with wins against Alabama State, Campbell and Tech.

“I think the regional was what it was supposed to be,” said Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello. “It was a bunch of teams that have really good offenses.”

For the second straight game, UT had to erase a four-run deficit after falling behind in the early going. The Yellow Jackets (36-24) struck first with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning due a two-out throwing.

Junior lefty Will Mabrey was able to keep the Vols in the game with 3.2 brilliant, shutout innings of relief, striking out five batters while scattering five hits.

Five Vols drove in runs in an eventful ninth inning as the first eight batters of the inning reached base. Jordan Beck tied the game with an RBI double before Trey Lipscomb, Christian Moore, Evan Russell and Cortland Lawson all followed with at-bats the produced runs to give the Big Orange a 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Tennessee had four players make the NCAA Knoxville All-Regional Team, led by Jorel Ortega, who was also named the regional’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the team in batting average (.500) and total bases (14), while scoring four runs and totaling five RBIs. Lipscomb, Drew Gilbert, and Blade Tidwell were also named to the Knoxville All-Regional Team.

Next up, the Vols will play Notre Dame in a best of three series starting on Friday (June 10) in Knoxville. If Tennessee can win the series, they will be headed to Omaha for the College World Series.

Belmont Promotes Russell Grimm To Executive Director Of The Bruin Club

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Russell Grimm. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont University

Belmont University is promoting Russell Grimm to Executive Director of the Bruin Club and has hired Collin Sonderman to the position of Assistant Director of Athletic Development, Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Corley announced Wednesday.

Hired as Bruin Club Director in 2016, Grimm spearheaded a 1700 percent increase in giving to athletics and 300 percent increase in annual fund giving over the last six years.

“Russell has grown all aspects of athletic development,” says Belmont Vice President for University Advancement Perry Moulds. “From significantly increasing Bruin Club membership and revenue to raising much needed support for Belmont’s transition to the Missouri Valley Conference, Russell has proven to be a steadfast leader for both the Departments of Development and Athletics. I could not be more happy to see Russell serve as the first Executive Director of the Bruin Club, and look forward to seeing even greater success under his leadership.”

Grimm has overseen all aspects of Belmont University athletic fundraising, including the Bruin Club, the newly created Athletic Excellence Initiative, endowed athletic scholarships, The Betty Wiseman Mission Fund, facility projects, donor relations, hospitality, the Bruin Club Golf Classic, and other special events.

“Russell has been an incredible asset to Belmont Athletics,” Corley adds. “Through his dedication and hard work, our athletic fundraising has reached historic levels. The future of the Bruin Club is very bright under Russell’s leadership; I am excited for him on this well-deserved promotion.”

The Franklin, Tennessee native graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and electronic media. Following his time in Knoxville, he returned to Nashville to pursue his master’s degree in sport administration from Belmont, graduating from the University’s MSA Program in 2009. Grimm previously served in athletic development roles at VCU, Boston College and Michigan.

Sonderman will be reporting to Grimm and will support all aspects of Belmont University athletic fundraising and hospitality. Sonderman spent the past year as a development intern for membership services for The Rams Club at the University of North Carolina which raised over $500 million for the Campaign for Carolina Athletics and $12.5 million for the Rams Club Annual Fund.

“We are thrilled for Collin to join the Belmont Bruin family,” says Grimm. “Collin’s experience will prove valuable to his transition to Belmont. His friendly, easy-going nature, passion for college athletics, confidence in his ability to get the job done and clear desire to be at Belmont shone through in the interview process. Additionally, his impeccable references spoke to his ability and readiness to take the next step and advance his career in athletic development here at Belmont.”

College Corner: Tennessee & Vanderbilt Baseball, Belmont Women’s Basketball

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Tennessee Baseball Earns No. 1 Overall Seed For First Time Ever

Tennessee Baseball celebrating their SEC Tournament Championship. Photo: Courtesy of Tennessee Athletics

After winning the SEC Tournament Championship for the first time in 27 years, the Tennessee baseball team has now earned its highest ever seed for the NCAA Tournament, claiming the No. 1 overall spot.

The Volunteers will host Georgia Tech, Campbell and Alabama State in the Knoxville Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium this weekend. It’s the seventh time in program history that the Vols will be hosting a NCAA Regional and their second straight after winning the Knoxville Regional.

Should the top-ranked Volunteers win the NCAA Knoxville Regional, they would also play host for a Super Regional the following weekend. The Vols will be making their 12th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

UTK enters the tournament with an NCAA-best record of 53-7 and won both the SEC Regular Season and Tournament championships for the first time since 1995.

Tennessee made the College Baseball World Series in 2021, but lost in double elimination to Virginia and Texas in Omaha.

 

 

Vanderbilt Heading To NCAA Tournament For 16th-Consecutive Season

Enrique Bradfield Jr. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

For the 16th-consecutive season, Vanderbilt is headed to the NCAA Tournament and will be the No. 2 seed at the Corvallis Regional.

The Commodores are joined by host Oregon State, No. 3 seed San Diego and No. 4 seed New Mexico State. Vandy open the double-elimination regional on Friday at 3 p.m. CT against San Diego.

This season, Vanderbilt racked up eight wins against D1 Baseball Top 25 opponents, while sitting at No. 7 in the NCAA RPI. Vandy boasted the nation’s toughest schedule.

The Commodores are one of nine Southeastern Conference teams selected among the field. Vanderbilt is joined by Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

 

 

Sally McCabe Returns To Belmont As Director Of Basketball Operations

Sally McCabe. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

The Bruins’ all-time blocks leader and two-time Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Sally McCabe, is headed back to Belmont as Women’s Basketball’s Director of Operations, announced head coach Bart Brooks.

In her new role, McCabe will be responsible for the team’s logistical operations and travel while overseeing daily administrative duties.

“I can’t be more excited to welcome Sally back to Belmont to work with our coaching staff and players,” says Brooks. “She was one of the best players to ever put on a Belmont uniform and I was blessed to coach her in her final season. I can’t say enough good things about Sally, the quality of her character and how impactful she will be as a mentor to our student-athletes. Sally is a great representative of our program and I’m thrilled to welcome her back home.”

Upon finishing her highly-decorated athletic and academic career at Belmont in 2018, McCabe attended nearby Vanderbilt where she received a Master of Education degree in early childhood special education in May of 2020. For the last two years, she has worked in early education as a teacher at Nations Ford Elementary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and most recently Granbery Elementary in Brentwood.

During the 2021-22 basketball season, McCabe served as an assistant girl’s basketball coach at Brentwood Academy.

25th Annual TransPerfect Music City Bowl To Make Network TV Debut This New Year’s Eve On ABC

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After a historic and extremely successful 2021, the 2022 TransPerfect Music City Bowl will air on network TV (ABC) for the first time ever on New Year’s Eve, bowl representatives announced.

Kickoff is slated for Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11:00 a.m. at Nissan Stadium. The Bowl is entering its third year of its six-year agreement with the Big Ten and SEC.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming fans from the Big Ten and SEC back to Nashville during one of the city’s marquee weekends and showcasing Nashville on network television,” Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl, says. “Last year saw unprecedented success for both our game and the city in terms of economic impact. We’re grateful for the opportunity to showcase Nashville on a large stage like ABC. We’re thankful for the continued support of our title sponsor TransPerfect, ESPN, the Tennessee Titans and Nissan Stadium officials along with the Metro Nashville Government as we look forward to another great experience this December.”

This past year Tennessee and Purdue faced off in the Music City Bowl where the Volunteers fell to the Boilermakers 43-41 in overtime. The game broke records for attendance, as well as viewership.

“We’re excited to again serve as the title sponsor of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” says TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe. “For the first time in history, the game will be played on network television—and on New Year’s Eve! Like last year, the game will feature opponents from the Big Ten and the SEC, the two most competitive conferences in college football. We are honored to welcome all to Nashville for what promises to be a marquee matchup.”

Vanderbilt Takes On Ole Miss In SEC Tournament After Being Swept By LSU

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Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

After a shaky season, Vanderbilt baseball finds itself as the No. 8 seed in the SEC Baseball Tournament. They will play a single elimination game against Ole Miss tonight (May 24) in Hoover, Alabama at 4:30 p.m. CT.

The Commodores had a chance to get a higher seed this past weekend when LSU visited Hawkins Field, but the Tigers’ explosive offense completely shut down Vandy with no hope to get a single win in the three-game series. LSU and Vandy were tied for seventh place at the time and now the Tigers find themselves with the No. 4 seed and an extra day off. The Dores’ were outscored by LSU 42-15.

“Once we start to get on the bus and go down to Hoover, I feel like that’s always been medicine for us–good medicine for us in so many different ways. That’s not to say we’ve always played well in Hoover, but we’ve played well in Hoover ever since I’ve been here,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin in a Monday press conference. “There’s been years where we came home after one [game], but the reality is if you look at the resume of work and the body of work… it’s been consistent. I’m not going to tell you we’ve been on the high side, and I’m not going to tell you we’ve been on the low side. They are re losses or wins, and you just move forward.”

Vanderbilt has suffered some major injuries this season and has lacked the star pitching it had in previous years with All-Americans like Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. However, the SEC Tournament is a fresh start where Corbin’s team can change the conversation.

Starting for Vandy against Ole Miss is freshman Carter Holton who’s been the team’s top pitcher all season long. Holton has started in 13 games this year and has thrown a 3.42 ERA, pitching 68.1 innings and striking out 86 batters. Holton, along with teammate Devin Futrell, were named to the Freshman All-SEC Team.

Enrique Bradfield Jr. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

The Commodores also have the dynamic duo of Dominic Keegan and Enrique Bradfield Jr., who were each named to the All-SEC First Team. Keegan concluded the regular season with a .366 batting average, ranking fifth in the league, while tying for fourth in the conference RBI with 57.

Bradfield has been a stolen base wizard this season, leading the SEC and going a perfect 42-for-42 on attempts, while placing fourth in runs scored with 60. He also batted .322 this season with 68 hits.

Top MLB Prospect for Vanderbilt Spencer Jones leads the team in batting average with .379, 75 hits and 48 RBI’s. He was recently named to the All-SEC Second Team.

This Vanderbilt team is still extremely talented and one of the best teams in the country, being in DI Baseball’s Top 25 just a week ago. The Commodores have bounced back many times this season, especially after being swept by No. 1 Tennessee at Hawkins Field in March. Vandy also has a decent track record against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament, having played 12 times twice in 2021 and are 6-6 in those meetings.

Regardless of their performance, Vanderbilt is predicted to be a No. 2 seed in most NCAA Baseball Tournament brackets, but a win or two in the SEC Tournament will only build their confidence and put themselves in a better position to play in a Super Regional.

Belmont Wins OVC Baseball Regular Season Championship

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Belmont baseball celebrating OVC Regular Season Championship. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont baseball clinched the 2022 OVC Regular Season Championship for the first time ever after taking a doubleheader against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on Friday, May 20.

“We talked about it all year long from the first day of classes in August, about this being a 10,000 step process,” said Belmont head coach Dave Jarvis postgame. “We’re still in the mist of this process as we stand here tonight, but they understood that and understand you can’t get to the ultimate goals we have in this season and within this program without taking those steps all along the way.”

The Bruins just edged Southeast Missouri for the title as they fell two wins short of tying the Bruins for the championship. Belmont led the OVC in pitching with an overall team ERA of 4.54 and allowing only 267 runs.

Sophomore Jalen Borders was second in the league in ERA with 3.21. Though Belmont didn’t lead the conference in batting, sophomore Guy Lipscomb led the league batting .400 and was third in hits with 82. He hit two home runs in the Bruins second win over SIUE in Friday’s doubleheader.

One aspect that helped the Bruins to its first championship was the fact that it was led by 14 juniors, seniors and grad students. Players with four to five years of experience have been the foundation for Belmont and its success.

“This group of upperclassman on this team this year have done what I charged them with and I charged them with driving the bus,” Jarvis added. “They’ve done it in a way that makes anyone associated with Belmont University proud… I think it’s just been an amazing season thus far.”

The last time Jarvis and the Bruins won a regular season title was in 2012 when the program was in the Atlantic Sun Conference. That season they won both the regular season and tournament titles. Jarvis has been with Belmont since 1998 and earned his 1,000 career win earlier this season. He later earned his 700th Belmont win in April.

The Bruins will get a bye through the first day of play and will open on Thursday against either Eastern Illinois, SIUE, or Austin Peay.

Belmont Names Alumnus Kerron Johnson As Director Of Basketball Operations

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Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont University has named former Bruin Kerron Johnson as Director of Basketball Operations, announced head coach Casey Alexander.

Johnson is one of the most decorated players in program history. He is among an exclusive list of players in college basketball history to earn conference tournament Most Valuable Player honors in two different leagues (Atlantic Sun, 2012; OVC, 2013).

The Huntsville, Alabama native returns to Belmont after playing professionally for the past nine seasons, earning all-league honors for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany.

“We’re thrilled to have Kerron and his family back at Belmont,” says Alexander. “As a player, Kerron was a great competitor, leader, and winner, while representing Belmont in a first-class way. That class and character extended into his successful professional playing career. Our staff expects Kerron to provide the same kind of impact as a coach. Our players will benefit greatly from his presence.”

The point guard led Belmont to conference championships in four consecutive seasons, including trips to the NCAA tournament in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Johnson ranks among Belmont career leaders in points (1,388), assists (515), steals (206) and free throws made (511).

Johnson was inducted into the Belmont Athletic Hall of fame this past fall.