Vanderbilt Commodores

Baseball Game Preview: No. 2 Arkansas at No. 14 Vanderbilt, Game Two

Commodores and Razorbacks meet again Saturday with the Commodores hoping for a better day at the plate after a shutout loss Friday.

Taylor Hodges

Vanderbilt second baseman Mike Mancini (5) fields a ground out hit by Arkansas right fielder Logan Maxwell during the sixth inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 28, 2025.
Vanderbilt second baseman Mike Mancini (5) fields a ground out hit by Arkansas right fielder Logan Maxwell during the sixth inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 28, 2025. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Headed into this weekend’s series between No. 2 Arkansas and No. 14 Vanderbilt, two things were clear: the Razorbacks were one of the best home run-hitting teams and the Commodores were one of the best strikeout-producing teams.

Both of those things proved to be true in Friday’s series-opening game, but it was the Razorbacks’ power hitting that proved to be thing that mattered most. Arkansas batters hit three home runs, nearly doubling the amount of home runs JD Thompson had given up this season, in a 9-0 loss.

Arkansas also got a dominant pitching performance by Zach Root, holding the Commodores scoreless in their first loss at Hawkins Field this season.

The Commodores and Razorbacks will run it back again at 2 p.m. Saturday on SECN+. Here’s everything to know ahead of this afternoon’s game between the Commodores and Razorbacks:

Vanderbilt Commodores Starting Lineup

  1. Jacob Humphrey, RF
  2. RJ Austin, CF
  3. Brodie Johnston, 3B
  4. Riley Nelson, 1B
  5. Mac Rose, DH
  6. Colin Barczi, C
  7. Jonathan Vastine, SS
  8. Rustan Rigdon, LF
  9. Mike Mancini, 2B

Arkansas Razorbacks Starting Lineup

  1. Charles Davalan, LF
  2. Wehiwa Aloy, SS
  3. Logan Maxwell, RF
  4. Kuhio Aloy, DH
  5. Brent Iredale, 3B
  6. Cam Kozeal, 1B
  7. Ryder Helfrick, C
  8. Nolan Souza, 2B
  9. Justin Thomas Jr., CF

Pitching Matchup

RHP Gabe Gaeckle (1-0, 6.57 ERA, 24.2 IP, 27 K, 15 BB, .223 b/avg.) vs. RHP Cody Bowker (2-1, 2.64 ERA, 30.2 IP, 40 K, 10 BB, .171 b/avg.)

Injury Report

Both Arkansas and Vanderbilt listed just one player each as out for Saturday’s contest. Arkansas won’t have RHP Gage Wood available, and Vanderbilt will be without RHP England Bryan.

Weather Report

Nashville got rain showers this morning, but that weather will have moved on by gametime Saturday. AccuWeather’s forecast predicts a cloudy day with temperatures in the mid-70s and humidity of 52 percent. It’s also expected to be windy, with southern winds traveling 16 mph and gusts reaching as high as 29 mph.

How to Watch

Who: No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks (24-3, 6-1 SEC) at No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores (20-6, 4-3 SEC)

When: 2 p.m., Saturday

Where: Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tenn.

TV: SECN+

Radio: 94.9 The Fan

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

Published |Modified
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Taylor Hodges is a staff writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI covering all-things Vanderbilt. Taylor brings more than a decade’s worth of award-winning sports writing, photography and video experience covering every level of sports — from Little League baseball to professional sports and other sports like hunting and fishing. Taylor is fueled by his lifelong passion for sports that began the same day Kirk Gibson hit his legendary World Series walk-off home run, Arkansas beat Texas in Austin and No. 4 Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami in the Catholics vs. Convicts game.

Home/Baseball