One Key Matchup in No. 23 Vanderbilt's Upcoming Series Against Florida: Just a Minute
Welcome to Vanderbilt Commodores On SI’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring staff writers. Throughout the week, we will offer up on opinions and reactions to topics concerning the Commodores.
Watch the above video as staff writer Taylor Hodges previews No. 23 Vanderbilt’s upcoming weekend series against Florida and one of the storylines to watch for in Gainesville.
When No. 23 Vanderbilt and Florida begin their series Friday night, there’ll be an interesting matchup between the two teams.
The Commodores have struggled at the plate in recent weeks, highlighted last weekend when they managed to score just nine runs on 20 hits in three games against No. 2 Arkansas. Florida, meanwhile, has struggled on the mound. Specifically, the Gators are walking too many batters for their coach’s liking.
Those struggles put Vanderbilt and Florida in an unfamiliar position: at the bottom of SEC leaderboards. In a nice little bit of symmetry, Vanderbilt’s team batting average (.275) ranks 15th in the SEC, ahead of only Texas A&M. Florida’s team ERA (5.62) also ranks 15th in the SEC with only Missouri posting a worse team ERA.
On the flip side, Vanderbilt ranks third in the SEC in ERA (3.61) and Florida ranks sixth in SEC batting averages (.304). So, the bottom halves of innings this weekend will get to see the two teams’ strengths go against one another. The top half of the innings, though, could be where the series is won, especially if one team can turn a weakness into a strength.
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Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.