Scoreless Innings Streak at Twenty-Seven for Commodores Pitching Staff
To say that pitching has been dominant for the Vanderbilt Commodores over their last three games might be an understatement.
During this three-game run, where the consecutive innings without allowing a run stand at 27 consecutive, the Commodores have used seven pitchers during that stretch as starters Jack Leiter (5), Ethan Smith (5), and Mason Hickman(7) along with relievers Thomas Shultz, Michael Doolin, Chris McElvain and Erik Kaiser who one inning each to this point.
In the three games, the Commodores starting pitchers have combined for 31 strikeouts, with Leiter and Hickman each fanning 12 apiece with Smith totaling seven.
On Tuesday, Shultz, in relief of Leiter fanned seven South Alabama batters. Wednesday Dooling matched that total, striking out seven Jaguars as the Commodores completed the two-game sweep.
On Friday McElvain and Kaiser each added a strikeout to the total in their lone inning of work behind Hickman.
In case you've lost count, or simply didn't, that's 47 strikeouts of the 81 total outs needed during this three-game stretch.
Hickman was spectacular in the Commodore's latest win on Friday afternoon, where along with his 12k's, he reached 200 career strikeouts with his second punchout of the game and matched his career-high in strikeouts. The junior scattered three hits across seven scoreless frames while extending his personal scoreless-inning streak to 17 over the first two starts of this season.
The last time Vanderbilt pitching tossed three consecutive shutouts, March 15-19, 2011. In matching that streak, Commodores pitchers have held opponents to a .101 (9-for-89) batting average and .111 (3-for-27) mark with runners aboard during the stretch.
While those numbers are truly impressive, they might not be finished just yet, as they streak could grow longer later this afternoon as Kumar Rocker takes the hill for game two against UIC.
In his lone start of the season to this point, Rocker has been as good as anyone, throwing six innings, allowing two hits, one run, three walks and nine strikeouts against UConn in the MBL4 Tournament in Arizona last week.
First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 2 pm CST at Hawkins Field as the Commodores 4-2 overall, will look to remain perfect at home on the season.
