Super game for our young, yet now veteran phenomenal team, final thoughts on women's tennis, new women's bball coach and an important personal request

A terrific all around performance by our super team. Won 7-0 over Missouri and defeated a very good pitcher in Tanner Houck. Center fielder Bryan Reynolds with a couple of doubles today, including a two run double in the bottom of the sixth after consecutive singles by Ethan Paul and Jeren Kendall. Julian Infante with a two run shot, his fifth of the year. Freshman Patrick Raby pitched terrifically going six and giving up nothing with two walks and four K’s. That’s really a big deal how well Patrick pitched because Corbs can either use him out of the bullpen or start him this postseason. Collin Snider pitched two excellent innings in the seventh and eighth, and freshman Donny Everett pitched an awesome ninth throwing it 97 at times. Donny has electric stuff. We’re going to love Donny and all our other superstar players next season.

 

But it's this season and it's tomorrow, which are of the ultimate importance right now. Couple of other things on today's game: Alonzo Jones was spectacular at second base making one amazing play on a ground ball that was headed towards right field and looking like a sure fire single in a critical juncture of the game when it was scoreless around the top of the fourth or fifth. Alonzo sprinted to his left with that 4.3-4.4 speed, amazingly gloved the ball that would have been out of a lot of MLB second basemen’s reach. did a 360, and threw it to Ethan Paul right on target for an out on a fast Missouri runner. It was unbelievable. Then Alonzo made another super play by catching a fly ball in short right, an over the left shoulder phenomenal catch, that our stud second baseman almost made look easy. We’re going to really like Alonzo the rest of this season, which will hopefully go into deep June, and in the next two to three years. We’ve got stellar freshmen. With Alonzo, shortstop Connor Kaiser, Ethan, who's playing first now and has a tremendous bat and wheels, just a terrific baseball player, Julian who's a superb hitter and will be a critical player for us among many of our other guys in the postseason, Liam Sabino, an exceptional hitter, pitchers Patrick, Donny and three or four others, along with our stud vets in Bryan, Jeren, Will Toffey, who had two hits today and will be critical for us this month and next along with Bryan and Jeren, Ro, who hit it great today but had nothing to show for it, but I have a feeling those line drives will start falling, pitchers Ben Bowden, one of our heart and soul guys of this baseball team, Sheff, Kyle Wright, John Kilichowski,  Collin Snider, Matt Ruppenthal, and, of course, stud catcher Jason Delay and his awesome backup, Karl Ellison, along with some other key young arms, I'm ecstatic about the prospects starting tomorrow @ 9:30 AM CT/10:30 AM ET vs A&M on the SEC Network.

 

 A&M tomorrow and lefty John Kilichowski gets the start for us. John got his first start against Auburn last Thursday Night and pitched six solid innings with just one mistake that led to a three run homer. But he got the win, pitched very well,  and I trust John completely to get the job done. John's a very good pitcher and he's clutch. Our lineup will face A&M right hander Andrew Vinson, who is 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA with seven walks and 39 K's. He pitched against us in relief in the first game of our series at A&M two weeks ago and got the victory. So we'll be tested. But I have full confidence we'll be ready.

Saw an interview by SEC Network reporter Laura Rutledge with Carson and Dans, who were at the game, pulling for their former teammates and our young studs. They were awesome as usual. They both said pro baseball is a serious grind, day to day, and it's different from college. But knowing Dans and Carson, they have embraced it. Carson is going to pitch for the B'ham Barons at home June 2nd, a Thursday, and I will be there to talk to him afterwards. Dans is coming into Birmingham with the Mississippi Braves in mid June and I will be talking to Dans then. Will have both studs' comments on the blog the day after my conversations with them. Really looking forward to that. They're the best. Two of the many Tim Corbin' greats.  

David on the hill. Will have that recap tomorrow AM.

One final thing on our baseball team with a lot more to come in the coming days; this is a really, really high bar, but in my opinion, Corbs may have done his best job of player development this season. He's been sensational as our coach as everyone at Vanderbilt and college baseball knows, but something about this season and how this pretty young team has developed to where we are now a force that can win this tournament and go very deep in June, is really phenomenal.  Corbs has been phenomenal for a long time. He's something else. His coaching has always been superb, but it's been as good as ever this season. Corbs deserves consideration for national coach of the year if you really study the game. To develop this young, tremendous group of players the way he has developed them this season, is a testament to what a phenomenal player developer Coach, Corbs is is. He's the best in college baseball, hands down.

Women's tennis

Couldn't be more proud of Geoff McDonald and his awesome team. The girls battled their hearts out yesterday. We hardly ever lose, we don't like it, and aren't used to it. I really kind of had a problem with Fernanda Contreras's match. We were down 3-2 in the team match to Stanford, and Fernanda and Frances Altick had split sets and were both in their respective third sets. Fernanda got down 1-5, but was giving her typical max effort. The Stanford girl made a couple of out calls on balls that looked good and were critical points in Fernanda's attempt to come back. Fernanda was upset but handled it with class. The the umpire upheld the girl's calls, which I was really surprised by. I didn't agree with either call. They were really big points. Fernanda and Frances really battled. I hate to see our girls lose on a couple of bad calls. 

But it was another exceptional season for Geoff, Sydney Campbell, Frances, Astra Sharma, who is super clutch and will be back I'm pretty sure along with the first two, if they don't go to the next level, senior Courtney Colton, who was supremely clutch throughout her career and particularly in this postseason, Georgina Sellyn, and all our other girls. We had a tremendous team, we just came up a little short this year. But I stay excited about what Geoff does and will do in the future. Geoff and the girls were remarkable this season. So proud of them. We'll be back, I promise you that. Proud of what we accomplished this year. There are many teams wishing they could win  the national championship in 2015 and go to the Final Four in 2016. The girls were superb.

Women's basketball hires new coach

Athletics Director David Williams has hired a new women's basketball coach and she is Stephanie White, who comes to us from the WNBA's Indiana Fever, which she led to the WNBA finals two years ago in her first season. This is a super hire by our athletic director. As a player, Stephanie was national player of the year in 1999 after leading her Purdue Boilermakers team to the national championship. She averaged 20.2 ppg her senior year and was an Academic All American. She played five successful years in the WNBA and was named to the Indiana Fever All-Decade team in the first decade of this century. Stephanie replaces Melanie Balcomb, who resigned last month after 14 pretty successful years at VU. Melanie brought in a top 10 class for next season, and their is good talent coming back, so we could be right in the tournament again next year. Really excited about the Stephanie White hire. She's going to be outstanding. She was a terrific three point shooter in her career and has good experience as a college assistant. Pumped about the future for the women's bball team. Dr. Williams hit another home run again with this hire.

By the way, in the men's basketball SEC/Big 12 Challenge next January, 2017,, we'll play Iowa State at home, which should be a stellar game. The game will be on January 28th in conjunction with other SEC-Big 12 games, and will be televised by the ESPN networks. Excited to see what Bryce can do with the top of the line talent we have returning and our two incoming freshmen. There may be another player in the mix before June is over with. Would be nice to grab another point guard, either a transfer or a freshman. But we'll be fine with Riley and freshman Payton Willis if we don't get one for next season.

NBA tonight

Fes and Steph in action tonight as the Warriors are down 1-2 in their series with OKC. They are at OKC. Game time is 8 PM CT/9PM ET on TNT. Huge game for Fes, Steph and the team. Fes playing well. Hope Steve Kerr uses him a lot tonight. Really need this one. Don't need to go down 1-3.

Also, my Tampa Bay Lightning are playing the Pittsburgh Penguins right now on NBC Sports Network in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Championship in the NHL Stanley Cup semifinals. They are tied 0-0 n the first period. The reason I like the Lightning so much is that they remind me so much of Vanderbilt athletes. They are total heart guys. They are missing their starting goalie, Ben Bishop, who is superb and out with an injury, though he may play tonight, their best offensive player and one of their best defensive players, both of whom may be back soon, and they're still getting it done. They're up 3-2 in the series and can close it out tonight and make their second consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearance with a victory at home. If they win tonight, they'll play the winner of two outstanding Western Conference teams, the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues. San Jose won last night at St. Louis, 6-3, in a super clutch performance, that put them up 3-2 in the series with game 6 at San Jose tomorrow night. It's pretty epic stuff in the NHL right now too. 

Finally and most importantly for our family

If you would please keep my wife and my nephew, Drew Williams, in your prayers. Drew, 14, was bitten by a copperhead today while he was in his barn by his house in Enterprise, AL. helping his dad move some wood around. There's a lot of things I admire about Drew. First of all, he's the finest young man I've ever met in my life. For example, for Mother's Day Drew first went over to his grandfather's house and hooked up a television to cable, got the channels in order, and set his Papa up with a new TV. Then, for his mom Marty, he took two shovels and a couple of picks and built an entire garden for Marty with trees, flowers and bushes. He worked on this late Sunday afternoon after everything else he did that day.That's just one of the many examples of what Drew does for people. He's got a tremendous heart. Drew was bitten in his foot at about 12:30 PM CT today, and was in major pain. Drew is tougher than nails and the doctor or nurse asked him from 1-10 what kind of pain he was in, and he said "8." To other people that's an 11. He is resting now and doing a lot better and we're getting out of the woods, but your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to what a great young man Drew is, he's a tremendous student, and a tremendous baseball and football player. Baseball's his first passion and he's an exceptional catcher, pitcher and hitter. Drew, and his younger brother Jack, 12, are superbly clutch baseball players. Jack plays shortstop and pitches and can really hit as well. They are both outstanding football players, too, as they both had pick sixes in their football practices a couple of weeks ago. Really talented athletes and superb young boys. But baseball is Drew's and Jack's first love. I would love to see Drew and Jack both playing for Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt. They fit the Vanderbilt baseball profile with a capital V and a three exclamation points. They are exceptional young men. Drew is in intensive care right now, but resting comfortably and is ready to get out and start being active again. That's typical Drew. Ready to get back to activity and being the positive, productive person that he is.  But he has to stay in the hospital for 24 hours to be all clear. He is getting Anti-Venom IV's every six hours. Please keep this awesome young man in your prayers, along with his parents, Marty and Brent, who are exceptional people also, and his younger brother Jack.

What makes this more important, if it's not important enough already, is that our family lost our beloved mother, wife, mother in law grandmother and friend, Mary, to cancer a month ago. So this just made that come back a little bit. Please keep Drew, Marty, Brent and Jack in your prayers.  My wife and I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thanks a lot.

Will get back in the AM with Price, Fes roundup, and be ready for our huge game with A&M.

The Men's golf team*** plays in the NCAA Championships at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Oregon starting this Friday. Coach Scott Limbaugh and the team have been tremendous this season, and I'm very excited to see the guys compete and go for the national title this weekend and early next week. Will keep you posted on the guys' progress.