Leiter, Schultz near-perfect in win over South Alabama
In their collegiate debuts, Jack Leiter and Thomas Schultz combined for near perfection in a 3-0 win over South Alabama at Nashville's Hawkins Field on Tuesday.
Playing in mid-40s rainy weather, Leiter struck out 12 hitters in five innings to get a win, while Schultz struck out seven over four to register a save.
Vanderbilt (2-2) struck with two runs in the first and added s solo run in the seventh.
The Commodores scratched out seven hits, with third baseman Austin Martin and left fielder Cooper Davis leading the team with two each.
Vanderbilt plays South Alabama again on Wednesday at 4:30.
Leiter lights-out in debut
I've covered coach Tim Corbin's program since he began in 2003, and I'm not sure I've seen a better debut than Leiter's. The Jaguars--a good team whom D1 Baseball and Baseball America both picked as a 3-seed in their preseason NCAA tournament projections--simply had no chance against the New Jersey native from start to finish.
Leiter went after hitters from the get-go. He was particularly effective with his slider and fastball, and adept at catching the edges of the plate. He threw 80 pitches, 52 for strikes.
The right-hander struck out nine of the first 10 hitters he faced. He didn’t allow a runner until he walked Ethan Wilson—the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year—on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the fourth.
Leiter started well, striking out Hunter Stokes on three pitches to start the game, then, got shortstop Santi Montiel looking on five pitches. He then struck out Wilson on five pitches, with two swinging misses and two looking.
Leiter got a fly ball out to left to start the second, then, retired Michael Sandle swinging and Reid Powers, looking.
Leiter went 3-2 to No. 7 hitter Dakota Dailey to start the third, then, got Dailey looking on a pitch on the outer edge of the plate. A swinging strikeout of Alden Davis followed. Carter Quinn went down looking to end the third on a beautiful breaking ball that froze him on the inner edge of the plate.
Leiter wasn’t as sharp in the fourth, but after Wilson’s walk and a steal of second, he got a pop-up to shallow left to end that inning.
He struck out the No. 5-7 hitters in order in the fifth before exiting.
Schultz also stellar in debut
Thomas Schultz wasn't one of the higher-rated players in VU's freshman class, but on Tuesday, it appeared that Schultz might be one of its biggest contributors.
The righty also struck out the side in his debut inning. By the time he was finished, he'd allowed just two base runners, an infield single in the seventh and a leadoff single in the ninth. Of the other five outs, three came on ground-outs and the others on harmless fly balls.
Schultz threw 55 pitches, 39 for strikes.
Duvall makes his return in style
Catcher Ty Duvall—a preseason second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick—didn’t play in the opening series due to illness. Duvall technically didn’t start—he pinch-hit for DH Mason Hickman, who was never going to be used—in the first inning and hit fourth in the order.
Duvall promptly smacked a Matt Boswell pitch up the middle for a single, scoring Martin and Davis for the game’s first runs.
Duvall went 1 for 3 with a walk.
No starter named for Wednesday
Vanderbilt hasn't named a starter for Wednesday, but don't be surprised if right-hander Ethan Smith gets a crack. Smith was a candidate for a weekend spot until days before the season, but that went to Jake Eder instead. Smith threw two innings against Michigan on Friday.
Highly-regarded freshman Michael Doolin, who hasn't pitched yet, could also be in the mix.
Chance Huff, who made four starts last year, also hasn't thrown this season.