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Why Tennessee series is even more crucial for Vanderbilt baseball after sweep by Georgia

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Why Tennessee series is even more crucial for Vanderbilt baseball after sweep by Georgia


Throughout 2024, strike-throwing was one thing Vanderbilt baseball could hang its hat on.

The Commodores generally have had one of the top strike-throwing pitching staffs in the SEC. That wasn’t the case in a weekend sweep at Georgia. They walked 22, hit nine batters and struck out just 12. Every pitcher who entered allowed a run.

Nine of the 11 pitchers who made an appearance this season had thrown more than 60% strikes going into the series, led by JD Thompson at 69%. No pitcher threw more than 60% strikes in any individual outing this weekend.

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The offense wasn’t much better. Vanderbilt had just three hits in a 10-0, seven-inning loss on Friday, and lost 14-4 on Saturday. Only on Sunday, in an 11-7 loss, did the offense pack much of a punch.

The Commodores (32-16, 11-13 SEC) face Tennessee this weekend (May 10-12). They have lost their past five SEC games and need two more wins to safely be in a regional.

Here’s what we learned from the weekend.

Quality starts an indicator

A quality start is when a pitcher throws six or more innings in a game and allows three earned runs or fewer. Vanderbilt pitchers have recorded nine quality starts in SEC play, going 8-1. In all other SEC games, the Commodores are 3-12.

They have struggled to win when the starter cannot give both length and quality. No starter lasted longer than three innings against Georgia (35-12, 13-11).

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In the second and third games, the Commodores had chances to come back, but the bullpen struggled to stop any of the bleeding. Miller Green was the best bullpen performer, allowing only one run in three innings Sunday. With one strikeout and no walks, he was the only pitcher who struck out more batters than he walked.

Austin, Kozeal lead sluggish offense

Although the offense gave a poor performance overall, two players who had been slumping had breakout weekends.

RJ Austin, who had been hitting .261 in SEC play, put up two hits in each of the three games, though five of those six hits were singles. The performance raised his conference batting average to .290.

Camden Kozeal had been struggling even more, hitting .186 in SEC play. He had largely fallen out of favor in the lineup but was pushed back in due to an injury to Jayden Davis. Kozeal played Saturday and Sunday and recorded two hits in each of the games, including a double and a home run. He raised his conference batting average to .240.

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The rest of the lineup didn’t do enough, though. Kozeal and Austin combined for 10 of the team’s 19 hits. Alan Espinal and JD Rogers hit home runs Sunday, but Vanderbilt put up just seven extra-base hits, compared with 12 for Georgia, including nine home runs.

DAVIS INJURY Vanderbilt baseball’s best options at second base after Jayden Davis’ injury

Vanderbilt’s road woes

Vanderbilt is 3-10 in true road games overall this season and 2-10 in SEC road games. The only two wins came at LSU, while the Commodores have been swept in each of their other three road series.

That won’t cut it, especially for a team that now is likely to be on the road for the postseason.

The Commodores have given up eight or more runs in 10 of 12 SEC road games, but only once in SEC home games. They have been run-ruled three times in road SEC games and got a run-rule win once.

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Vanderbilt has failed to score more than six runs in nine of its 12 SEC road games and been shut out three times. At home, the Commodores have not been shut out and have one run-rule win and no run-rule losses.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.





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Tennessee Senate passes ‘CVS bill,’ reshapes pharmacy business as CVS threatens closures

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Tennessee Senate passes ‘CVS bill,’ reshapes pharmacy business as CVS threatens closures


A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.

The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.

Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.

The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.

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Three NFL Draft Fits for Tennessee Football Cornerback Jermod McCoy

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Three NFL Draft Fits for Tennessee Football Cornerback Jermod McCoy


Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.

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1. Dallas Cowboys

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (DB20) speaks to media members during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.

It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.

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2. Miami Dolphins

Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) jogs during warm-ups before a NCAA football game between Tennessee Volunteers and New Mexico State Aggies at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 15, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.

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McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.

3. New York Jets

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Jermod McCoy runs during Tennessee Football Pro Day 2026, at University of Tennessee on March 31, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.

McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.

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Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children

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Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.

During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.

From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.

Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.

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“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.

The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.

“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.

For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.

“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.

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What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.

In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.

Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil

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Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.

– Carrie Sharp





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