Vanderbilt Commodores

Why Vanderbilt's Close Win May Be a Good Omen for Upcoming SEC Series

A narrow midweek win over Indiana State may be a good sign as No. 15 Vanderbilt prepares to host No. 18 Alabama in an SEC showdown.
Taylor Hodges|
A narrow midweek win over Indiana State may be a good sign as No. 15 Vanderbilt prepares to host No. 18 Alabama in an SEC showdown.
A narrow midweek win over Indiana State may be a good sign as No. 15 Vanderbilt prepares to host No. 18 Alabama in an SEC showdown. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If how No. 15 Vanderbilt performs in its midweek game has any impact on its weekend, the Commodores are in for a good time at Hawkins Field this upcoming weekend.

The Commodores (31-13, 12-9) defeated Indiana State 5-2 on Tuesday. It wasn’t a run-rule win some might expect against a team with a losing record, but considering how the Commodores’ have played the weekend following a close, midweek win, this is a good thing.

Here are the results of the Commodores’ midweek games with how the following weekend against an SEC team went:

  • Beat Valparaiso 12-0 (7 innings), 1-2 at Auburn
  • Beat Belmont 13-2 (7 Innings), 3-0 vs. Texas A&M
  • Beat Eastern Kentucky 10-0 (8 innings), 0-3 vs. Arkansas
  • Beat Western Kentucky 5-4 (10 innings), 3-0 at Florida
  • Beat Dayton 9-2, 1-2 at Oklahoma
  • Beat Lipscomb 5-4 (10 innings), 3-0 vs. Georgia
  • Lost to Middle Tennessee 5-3, 1-2 at Ole Miss

Take away the Belmont-Texas A&M week, when Vanderbilt wins (or loses) big in its midweek game it loses the following SEC series. But when it’s close, the Commodores have won the ensuing SEC series (usually via a sweep).

Of course, no trend is guaranteed to continue when the games are actually played. So, maybe, Tuesday night’s win against Larry Bird’s alma mater isn’t a guarantee the Commodores will win their upcoming series against No. 18 Alabama.

READ MORE: Unsurprisingly, Vanderbilt Falls in Latest Top 25 Rankings

It certainly won’t alleviate any concerns about Vanderbilt’s offense that was shutdown for most of its series against Ole Miss (and its series against Arkansas, Auburn and Oklahoma). The Sycamores out-hit the Commodores (9-7) and drew three bases on balls against five different Vanderbilt pitchers.

Braden Holcomb was the only Commodore to have more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with a walk and one run scored. The other Vanderbilt batters to record a hit were: Riley Nelson, Brodie Johnson, Jonathan Vastine, Mike Mancini and Mac Rose, whose only hit was a two-run home to start off the scoring against Indiana State.

Austin Nye continues to impress as a freshman, pitching five innings and allowing only three hits, two walks and six strikeouts. It’s a great sign Vanderbilt has a fourth starting pitcher with the SEC Tournament coming up and realistic chance Vanderbilt will have to win four games in five days.

That math still has a chance to grow smaller with the three SEC series still to play, starting with an Alabama team that has seen its status as a NCAA Regional host slip away. Here’s the upcoming weekend schedule for the series between the Crimson Tide and Commodores.

No. 18 Alabama at No. 15 Vanderbilt Schedule

Game 1: 6 p.m., Friday, SECN+

Game 2: 2 p.m., Saturday, SECN+

Game 3: 3 p.m., Sunday, SEC Network

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

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.

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