Vandy Boys Pitching off to a Strong Start a Home

While the results of the opening weekend weren't very good, overall Vanderbilt's pitching has been as advertised.

Good pitching wins baseball games, and that's what we are seeing through the first full week of the 2020 college baseball season for the defending national champion Vanderbilt Commodores. 

Through the first five games of the young season, the Commodores, (3-2) pitching staff have a team ERA of just 1.81, and that is with three pitchers whose ERAs are above 5.0 and two above 10.0.   

Jake Eder (5.40), Tyler Brown (10.12), and Chris McElvain (15.43) struggled on opening weekend at the MLB4 Tournament in Arizona, none have seen game action in either game since the team's return to Nashville. 

Both top starters Mason Hickman and Kumar Rocker were lights out in their only appearances of the season in Scottsdale with Rocker earning a win and Hickman a no-decision, but so too were young relievers, Sam Hliboki,  Nick Maldonado who combined for five innings, allowing three hits and no runs. 

In the last two games, the Commodores sent freshman Jack Leiter and sophomore Ethan Smith to the hill and got impressive performances from both.   

In the Commodores first home game on Tuesday, it was Leiter who dazzled in his debut, striking out 12 of the 15 batters he faced in five innings of work. He did not allow a hit, run, walk or hit batsman. Fellow freshman Thomas Shultz followed Leiter and was almost as good, allowing only two hits through four innings and striking out seven of the 14 batters he faced. 

On Wednesday it was Ethan Smith's turn to dominate as the sophomore from Mt. Juliet, Tn. as in his first start of the season he dominated five innings, allowing two hits, no runs, no walks and struck out seven of 17 batters he faced. 

Smith was backed by freshman Michael Doolin, who tossed the final four innings, allowing one hit, one walk and struck out seven of 14 batters. 

Outside of  Eder, Brown, and McElvain, no other Commodores pitcher has an ERA above 0.00 through five games.  

The Commodores continuing their eleven game homestand with games three, four and five this Friday through Sunday as Illinois-Chicago visits Hawking Field for the three-game set.  The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 4:30 pm.

While it is assumed that Hickman, Rocker, and Eder will start those games, head coach Tim Corbin could choose to use some of his other young arms in this early part of the season, but my bet is Hickman and Rocker take the hill for the first two of the weekend.