Hoover, AL--Where would this team be without JD Thompson?

The short answer; probably not the NCAA Tournament

Without Thompson's emergence over the past three weeks it feels as if this team may have been sitting at 11 league wins coming into Hoover and may still be without an alpha.

When Vanderbilt needed a leader, it got it. When Vanderbilt needed hope, it also got that from the sophomore lefty.

"We're gonna carry a lot of momentum into the SEC Tournament and we're gonna get to the tournament,” Thompson declared weeks ago. “I feel very confident about it. We're gonna get a few wins."

He was right.

Thompson has been the alpha for this team; and he's also produced.

"He's been big all year," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said of Thompson. "Just a calm kid. He goes about pitching in a way that looks like he's older."

Vanderbilt has won Thompson's last three starts, including two games that marked the Commodores' only two wins in the final nine games of SEC play.

Most recently, Vanderbilt's sophomore starter delivered under the lights in Hoover with a performance in which he went six innings, gave up just one run, struck out eight and surrendered five hits.

Thompson was gutsy on Thursday night and lived up to the moment in a tough environment.

"Strikes. Attack. Being aggressive," Corbin said of Thompson. "Using the field, using his outfielders, using his infielders. Just calm."

Vanderbilt reliever Ryan Ginther feels a similar way.

"Just his composure when things don't go his way he's just always level headed," Ginther said. "Bad inning, good inning it's the same JD."

That's not the first time that's happened either.

When Vanderbilt needed a stopper against Tennessee in a series that could've been a disaster at Hawkins Field, Thompson delivered his best outing of the season and the best of his career.

The weekend after as the sophomore came in to a tough spot with a Saturday start against Kentucky, he delivered again.

He just delivers. Over and over again. When Vanderbilt needs it the most.

"He's been unbelievable," Ginther said. "He's a great teammate on and off the field so it's been great to see him succeed."

Thompson has been the x-factor for Tim Corbin's group and has altered its season as well as how it is viewed.

It's hard to find a better story on this roster than Thompson.