Vanderbilt Takes Fast Start to River City For Three-Game Series at Louisville
The Vanderbilt Commodores (4-0), off to their best start since 1998, travel up I-65 to Louisville this weekend for a three-game series with the Cardinals. It marks the first road games of the season for the Commodores and their first three-game series. Solid pitching and timely hitting have the Commodores perfect to date in the 2002 campaign after topping Lipscomb 6-3 Wednesday at the new Hawkins Field in Nashville. Senior pitchers Steven Faulkner (1-0, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 SO, 1.12 ERA) and Jeff Little (1-0, 8.1 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 6 SO, 3.24 ERA) have made steady contributions as have freshmen pitchers LHP John Scott (1-0, 3.0 IP, 2H, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA) and RHP Scott Shapiro (0-0, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 SO, 3.00 ERA). Another highly touted freshman hurler, LHP Jeremy Sowers, could take the mound in his first collegiate start as early as Sunday. The Louisville native was a first-round pick (19th overall) of the Cincinnati Reds who declined a professional contract. (More details on Sowers on page 3 of these notes.) At the plate, it’s been a different hero every game for the Commodores. Sophomore third baseman Cesar Nicolas smashed a walk-off three-run homer to left field in the season opener. Senior outfielder Karl Nonemaker (3-for-5) and sophomore catcher Jonathan Douillard (3-for-4) keyed VU’s 7-6 win over West Virginia in the second game of the year. Junior outfielder John Kaye’s grand slam propelled the Commodores to a two-game sweep of the Mountaineers the following day. And this Wednesday, senior third baseman John Prothro hit two home runs to help key a 6-3 victory.

The Louisville Series
Vanderbilt holds a 10-0 lead in the all-time series which dates back to a 3-0 Commodore win in 1971. The Commodores and Cardinals last met in 2000, in a threegame series in Nashville. Vanderbilt won 18-5, 6-5 (10 innings) and 9-5. Current Commodore senior outfielder Karl Nonemaker posted a spectacular series, going 10-for- 17 at the plate with eight RBI, four runs scored two home runs and a stolen base.