The athletic department really needs to get around on releasing new baseball photos. Until they do, I'm gonna stick with whatever the Vanderbilt library gives me.

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Despite an early loss, the Vanderbilt baseball team rebounded strong to finish off a pair of perennial NCAA Tournament contenders this weekend in Los Angeles. The trip represented the first major test for the young squad; with two wins it appears that they'll be in solid shape as the SEC season lies less than three weeks away. The Commodores dropped the trip's opening game 9-2 to preseason #20 UCLA, but came back to beat Southern California and Oklahoma State to improve the team's record to 6-1 for the season.

Game 1 - UCLA 9, Vanderbilt 2: UCLA's Gerrit Cole won the battle of sophomore All-American pitchers, outdueling Sonny Gray and stifling Vandy's bats to in a big win. Cole struck out eight and allowed just four hits in five innings while Gray gave up five earned runs despite six strikeouts in limited innings to pick up the loss. UCLA was able to clean up where Vanderbilt sputtered, as the Bruins left only four runners on base for the game compared to Vandy's 12.

Game 2 - Vanderbilt 10, USC 1: The Commodores' bats came alive to blow away the Trojans on their home field Saturday night. Jason Esposito hit a solo home run that is still being tracked by NASA and JUCO transfer Bryan Johns went 4-5 with four RBI to spark Vanderbilt. USC took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning, but couldn't build on that lead as #3 starter Taylor Hill improved his record to 2-0 with six strong innings on the mound.

Game 3 - Vanderbilt 7, Oklahoma State 6: Dodger Stadium was the venue for the Cowboy/Commodore showdown in Sunday's Dodgertown Classic match-up. The 'Dores opened up an early lead and then withstood an OSU rally to take the win. Errors nearly sunk Vanderbilt, as two miscues in the fourth inning led to three Cowboy runs and allowed the team to get back in the game. OSU had a chance to take the lead late in the 8th inning after a two-run single put runners on the corners with two outs, but Russell Brewer was able to induce an inning ending pop-up to secure the 7-6 Commodore lead. His shutout ninth sealed the game and earned him his first save of the season.

AoG's prestigious pitching and batting awards, coming up after the jump...

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Hawkins Field in 2008. Man, Vanderbilt's sports media really needs to release some new baseball photos.

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When the Vanderbilt baseball team took the field for the first time Friday afternoon, the temperature hovered around the mid-40s. The way the team was playing, however, made it feel like the middle of summer. The #32 ranked Commodores displayed mid-season form in a three-game sweep of an outmatched Purple Eagle squad to kick off the NCAA Baseball season.

The team showed little rust in dispatching their MAAC opponent by a combined 46-5 score over the weekend. Vanderbilt attacked the Purple Eagles with solid batting and pitching to jump out to a 3-0 record on the season. The Commodores only trailed for two out of 27 innings and used their big leads to let their young bench players take the field, often in impressive fashion.

Game 1 - Vanderbilt 9, Niagara 0: Sophomore ace Sonny Gray threw eight shutout innings in the season opener, striking out eight and allowing only three hits. The Commodores struck first with a five run fourth inning and never looked back. Joe Loftus had three RBI to lead Vanderbilt, including the game's first run with a double into the gap in right center field.

Game 2 - Vanderbilt 16, Niagara 2: Junior Taylor Hill kept the streak of solid pitching alive by striking out nine batters in 6.2 shutout innings against the Purple Eagles. Vanderbilt used patient hitting (and wild pitching) to drive their offense, recording 10 walks and racking up an on-base percentage of .511. A great example of this was the sixth inning, where the team had only one hit - a bunt - but took advantage of Niagara mistakes to score three runs. Shortstop Brian Harris was the team's biggest weapon at the plate, reaching base and scoring on all four of his at-bats. Harris added two RBIs as well.

Game 3 - Vanderbilt 21, Niagara 3: It was relatively smooth sailing as the team closed out the sweep on Sunday. Vanderbilt trailed after the first inning, and then led by nine after the second. Regan Flaherty, Jason Esposito, and Curt Casali combined for eight hits and 14 RBI on the game. Preseason All-American Jack Armstrong had a disappointing first inning, allowing three runs, but bounced back to finish the day with four scoreless frames and three strikeouts.

More analysis, including AoG's prestigious batting and pitching awards, after the jump...

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Vanderbilt's outfield: so young, that not even google image search can find a quality picture of them.

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With the first pitch of baseball season just hours away, let's dive into the final installment of the Vanderbilt Commodores 2010 Baseball Season Preview. Last time, we took a look at one of the more stable elements of this Commodore team - the infield. Today, we'll focus on the final component of this squad, one that technically only returns one starter and might be due for some growing pains as the season grinds on - the outfield.

Two starters have departed, leaving sophomore Joe Loftus as the sole returning outfielder. Joining him will be some top prospects, a hot-hitting former catcher, and a solid veteran. Like the rest of the team, the outfield is padded with talent, but lacking in experience. Let's take a look at who we can expect to see as the everyday starters patrolling the depths of Hawkins Field.

The Starters:

LF - Aaron Westlake - Westlake had a breakout 2009 season that put him on the national radar, and only stands to improve in 2010. Built like a linebacker (6'3", 235 lbs), the redshirt sophomore made waves at the plate last year, hitting .377 with 10 HR and 57 RBI. He's a versatile player who can play first base or catcher, but with the returns of Casali and Giobbi will move to the outfield to fill the gap left by Steven Liddle. In 2009, he posted one of the team's best fielding percentages amongst regulars (.989), though that nay not reflect his ability to handle left field. He'll be counted on to fill the Pedro Alvarez role in the middle of the order, and though he won't have a Flaherty/de la Osa/Macias to protect him, he should still get plenty of opportunities to mash.

CF - Jordan Wormsley - Wormsley has the inside track on center field, but a number of talented freshmen could usurp his role. The junior saw action in 25 games last year and made a bigger impact with his glove than with his bat. He hasn't shown much power to date, but is patient at the plate and is a disciplined player. As the elder statesman of the outfield, he'll be counted on to provide leadership and consistent play.

RF - Joe Loftus - Loftus is the lone returning regular in the outfield, having started 55 games in center as a true freshman in 2009. The move to right field will be helpful, as Loftus often failed to show the range needed in center field in his first year. Loftus struck out too much as a freshman, but also showed flashes of power and a better-than-average ability to take walks and get on base. He'll have to build on his first year in order to be a major contributor to the team, but should be a solid fit slotted in at the end of the batting lineup. He'll be the lone right-handed batter in an outfield stocked with leftie hitters.

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Brian Harris, thrilled that someone off in the dugout is holding up a brand new N64, just for him.

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While Nashville forges through some unseasonably cold weather, it's easy to forget that the college baseball season kicks off Friday afternoon against Niagara University. College baseball previews almost unanimously regard Vanderbilt as a NCAA Tournament bound team, but most pick the team to finish fourth in the SEC East - behind Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina. In 2009, the conference sent eight teams to the national tournament, which culminated with LSU winning all of its World Series games by at least four runs on their way to the championship.

Yesterday, we took a look at Vanderbilt's pitching staff, a young group who will need to mature quickly for this team to make a run at Omaha. Today, we'll look at a more stable element that returns three stars - the infield.

1B/C - Curt Casali - Casali, a junior, is a shining example of Coach Tim Corbin's northeastern pipeline. A Connecticut native, Casali came to Nashville with a big bat and gritty reputation. He displayed his toughness last season, when he played through an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery over the summer. Despite the pain, he shared the team lead in 2009 with 10 home runs (HR) and led the team with 59 runs batted in (RBIs). He also showcased great patience at the plate, recording 37 walks against 23 strikeouts. Due to the injury, Casali played most of 2009 at first base, but is expected to settle back into his catching role with a clean bill of health this season.

C/1B - Andrew Giobbi - Giobbi also played through injuries in 2009. An early broken hand forced the senior to miss 25% of the team's games, though he was able to return before SEC play kicked off. With Casali healthy, it's likely that the two will split duties catching and at first base, though Giobbi could also see some time in left field. Aside from his senior leadership, the big catcher from Maine also brings a stellar defensive record (.995 fielding percentage) and a consistent bat. History has shown that Giobbi can be called on for a near .300 average, eight homers, and 50 or so RBIs for the season. If he can stay healthy, he'll be the backbone of this young squad.

2B - Riley Reynolds - Reynolds started his Vanderbilt career in 2009 showcasing a knack for getting on base. He batted .332 and was one of the team's biggest threats on the basepaths with 19 stolen base attempts. These numbers made him a Freshman All-American, though there were some negative aspects to his play. Unfortunately, Reynolds was unable to convert his .404 on-base percentage to many runs, failed to hit for power, and had just 22 RBIs despite starting 61 games. Additionally, his defense showed room for improvement, with eight errors on the year. However, Reynolds is still very young, and with a year of experience and a year in the weight room under his belt, big things are expected out of the sophomore in 2010.

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Vanderbilt's historical records: Always a home run for awesome photos.

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Baseball season is nearly upon us. As the the south digs out from scattered snow storms, the groundskeeping crew will be working overtime at Hawkins Field to get the diamond in playing shape by Friday. The Commodores open up their season by hosting the Niagara University Purple Eagles in a three game homestand starting Friday.

Last year, the 'Dores put up a valiant showing in the opening round of the College World Series. The team eliminated two teams in Louisville before falling in the finals of their regional matchup with the host Cardinals. Many of the key members of that team return, but this year marks the first year in recent history that Vanderbilt will go into the season without a sure-fire first round draft pick. Before the action starts on the field, let's take a peek at how the Commodores will look out there this year. We'll start with what looks to be Vandy's biggest question mark in 2010: pitching.

The Rotation:

The bad news? Mike Minor is gone. The #7 overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft was snapped up by the Atlanta Braves after a 6-6 year with a 3.90 ERA. The team's #2 and #3 starters, Caleb Cotham and Nick Christiani are also gone. As a result, the team will have to replace a trio of pitchers who combined to start 39 of the team's 64 games in 2009. In their absence, two young righthanders will step up to lead the Commodore rotation. Freshman All-American Sonny Gray and Cape Cod League standout Jack Armstrong will take the hill after being named to BaseballAmerica's pre-season All-America team for 2010. 

It's a three-game series...who do you start?

1. Sonny Gray. Gray was Vanderbilt's most hyped recruit of 2009. The youngster from Smyrna was a likely first round MLB draft pick out of high school, but chose to sign with the Commodores instead. After putting together an up-and-down season last year, he's primed to break out in 2010. Gray started four games in 2009 and put together 72 strikeouts in just 58.2 innings. Gray throws a 93mph fastball and backs it with a dominant curveball/slider combination. He's shown enough in limited innings for some pundits to put him in the top tier of college baseball players.

2. Jack Armstrong. Armstrong, along with Gray, was part of a recruiting class that was ranked top five nationally for the 'Dores in 2009. Despite a disappointing 2009 where he hit three batters, threw three wild pitches, and posted an ERA of 12.91 in just 7.2 innings, the 19-year-old turned it around in the Cape Cod Summer League - a showcase of college baseball's best talent. The former four-star recruit had an 2.57 ERA in seven starts in the summer showcase. He'll be depended on to keep his hot streak going into SEC play.

3. Taylor Hill. Hill is the likely third piece of the rotation, though guys like Chase Reid and Drew Hayes could see time throughout the season starting games on Sundays. The junior righty is a former Tennessee high school player of the year, but showed a slight regression between his freshman and sophomore years. Hill does a solid job of throwing strikes but isn't an overpowering pitcher at this stage of his career. However, the promise of a full-time rotation gig may be enough of a motivating factor for the upperclassman to step up his game in 2010.

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