Vanderbilt University’s baseball team reported on March 9 that it finished the week with a 3-2 record, bringing its overall season record to 10-7. The Commodores split their midweek games, losing to Central Arkansas and defeating Troy, before winning two out of three games in a weekend series against North Dakota State.
The team’s performance this week is significant as it sets the stage for the start of Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. Vanderbilt will host Indiana State on Tuesday before facing LSU in a three-game series at Hawkins Field beginning Friday.
Several players contributed notable performances during the week. Ryker Waite batted .500, going 8-for-16 with two doubles and four walks. Brodie Johnston recorded seven hits in fifteen at-bats, including two home runs. Braden Holcomb also hit two home runs and led the team with seven runs batted in. Chris Maldonado homered in three consecutive games after not hitting a home run since 2023 due to injuries over the past two seasons.
On the pitching side, Connor Fennell struck out eleven batters over six innings in Friday’s win against North Dakota State, bringing his season total to thirty strikeouts over twenty-one and one-third innings.
Vanderbilt has hit forty-two home runs this season, ranking second among Division I teams. The Commodores are also second in the SEC and fifth nationally in slugging percentage at .617. The team has drawn ninety-nine walks, placing them twenty-second among Division I programs. Defensively, Vanderbilt has turned twenty double plays this season, tied for most nationally.
The upcoming games against Indiana State and LSU mark an important stretch as Vanderbilt begins conference play.
