Game Preview: Kentucky at No. 9 Vanderbilt, Game 1
The crowded SEC standings are about to get one step closer to getting sorted out.
Currently, Vanderbilt holds the lead of the three-way tie with Georgia and Auburn for the final double-bye spot in the SEC Tournament. For the Commodores, the path to securing the No. 4 seed is simple: just win.
If Vanderbilt sweeps the final weekend of the regular season or if the Commodores perform the same as the Bulldogs and Tigers, Vanderbilt will punch its ticket to the quarterfinals in Hoover, Alabama. Georgia closes its season at home against Texas A&M while Auburn finishes the season on the road at Ole Miss.
Kentucky is also in a three-way tie themselves with Oklahoma and Florida. For the Wildcats, they can help their own standing in the SEC bracket while ruining Vanderbilt’s this weekend with wins this weekend.
Vanderbilt is coming off two consecutive series victories over Alabama at home and on the road at Tennessee. The two series jumped the Commodores into the Top-10 in the latest rankings. Will Vanderbilt continue its momentum from the past two weekends and carry it into the end of the regular season?
Here is everything to know about tonight’s series opener against Kentucky:
Vanderbilt Commodores Starting Lineup
- Rustan Rigdon, 2B
- RJ Austin, CF
- Riley Nelson, 1B
- Brodie Johnston, 3B
- Braden Holcomb, LF
- Colin Barczi, C
- Jonathan Vastine, SS
- Jacob Humphery, RF
- Mike Mancini, DH
Kentucky Wildcats Starting Lineup
- Tyler Bell, SS
- Luke Lawrence, 2B
- Cole Hage, LF
- James McCoy, 1B
- Patrick Herrera, 3B
- Carson Hansen, CF
- Ryan Schwartz, RF
- Kyuss Gargett, DH
- Raphael Pelletier, C
Pitching Matchup
RHP Nate Harris (4-2, 4.20 ERA, 49.1 IP, 35 SO, 21 BB, 23 ER, .227 b/avg) vs. RHP Austin Nye (2-0, 2.03 ERA, 44.1 IP, 51 SO, 18 BB, 10 ER, .205 b/avg)
Injury Report
Vanderbilt will only be without pitcher Hudson Barton in Thursday's game. Kentucky will be without infielder Ethan Hindle, outfielder Will Marcy and pitcher Robert Hogan.
How To Watch: Kentucky at No. 9 Vanderbilt
When: 6 p.m., Thursday
Where: Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tenn.
TV: SECN+
Radio: Live Radio
Stats: Live Stats
Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.