Vanderbilt Starting Pitchers Announced for Final SEC Series Against Kentucky

The Commodores will give their midweek starter a chance to showoff against SEC competition this weekend against the Kentucky Wildcats.

Vanderbilt pitcher Austin Nye (40) throws to a Tennessee Tech batter in the first inning of an NCAA college baseball game at Hawkins Field Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. / Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the first time in a while, Austin Nye's Tuesday night didn't involve stepping on a pitching mound and trying to give the Commodores a midweek win.

This past week was the first time this season Vanderbilt didn't have a midweek game. For Nye, who has started every midweek contest for the Commodores this season, it means he gets an extended period of rest. The last time he pitched was against then-No. 20 Louisville and he pitched five innings (75 total pitches) and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out five batters.

For the season, Nye has been stellar in his role as the Commodores' midweek game starter. Vanderbilt has lost just one midweek game (12 games started) all season and Nye has posted a 2-0, 2.03 ERA record with 51 strikeouts, 18 walks and 10 earned runs allowed. That's a stat line that rivals most of the other Vanderbilt pitchers.

And now we'll get to see how the freshman performs against an SEC team.

Vanderbilt will change up its weekend starting pitcher rotation. Nye will start Thursday's game against Kentucky followed by JD Thompson and Cody Bowker in the second and third games. Connor Fennell isn't slated to start this weekend, but was the most recent Commodore pitcher to start a game last Sunday.

Here are the starting pitching matchups for Vanderbilt's final SEC series against Kentucky, as well as each team's best bullpen options:

Kentucky at No. 9 Vanderbilt Starting Pitchers

Game One

RHP Nate Harris (4-2, 3.65 ERA, 49.1 IP, 35 SO, 21 BB, 20 ER, .222 b/avg.) vs. RHP Austin Nye (2-0, 2.03 ERA, 44.1 IP, 51 SO, 18 BB, 10 ER, .205 b/avg.)

Game Two

Vanderbilt pitcher JD Thompson (22) pitches against Arkansas during the first inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 28, 2025. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

RHP Nic McCay (5-0, 4.06 ERA, 64.1 IP, 62 SO, 36 BB, 29 ER, .192 b/avg.) vs. LHP JD Thompson (4-5, 3.88 ERA, 72 IP, 94 SO, 23 BB, 31 ER, .234 b/avg.)

Game Three

Cody Bowker every even inning pic.twitter.com/onX2VPGgWT

— Barstool Vandy (@BarstoolVandy) May 3, 2025

LHP Ben Cleaver (6-3, 3.30 ERA, 71 IP, 79 SO, 26 BB, 26 ER, .183 b/avg.) vs. RHP Cody Bowker (2-4, 4.76 ERA, 58.2 IP, 78 SO, 26 BB, 31 ER, .220 b/avg.)

Notable Bullpen Arms

Vanderbilt pitcher Connor Fennell (39) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt Commodores

RHP Connor Fennell (5-0, 3.19 ERA, 42.1 IP, 75 SO, 10 BB, 15 ER, .182 b/avg.)
RHP Sawyer Hawks (4-0, 1.67 ERA, 37.2 IP, 49 SO, 8 BB, 7 ER, .167 b/avg.)
LHP Miller Green (1-2, 4.35 ERA, 20.2 IP, 24 SO, 8 BB, 10 ER, .293 b/avg.)
RHP Alex Kranzler (6-1, 4.05 ERA, 33.1 IP, 35 SO, 6 BB, 6 ER, .189 b/avg.)
RHP Tommy O’Rourke (3-0, 3.68 ERA, 14.2 IP, 17 SO, 6 BB, 6 ER, .189 b/avg.)
LHP Ethan McElvain (1-3, 6.49 ERA, 26.1 IP, 43 SO, 27 BB, 19 ER, .265 b/avg.)

Kentucky Wildcats

RHP James McCoy (1-0, 3 SV, 0.63 ERA, 14.1 IP, 11 SO, 6 BB, 4 ER, .163 b/avg.)
RHP Simon Gregersen (0-3, 3.90 ERA, 27.2 IP, 25 SO, 17 BB, 12 ER, .230 b/avg.)
RHP Scott Rouse (4-1, 5.22 ERA, 39.2 IP, 46 SO, 13 BB, 23 ER, .268 b/avg.)
LHP Ethan Walker (1-1, 4.46 ERA, 38.1 IP, 39 SO, 14 BB, 19 ER, .274 b/avg.)

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