Nashville Region 2014 Baseball World Series Breakdown
Vanderbilt, Oregon, Clemson, Xavier
Vanderbilt lost a lot off their team from last season, but the team hasn’t missed a beat. Tyler Beede is the go to guy for Vanderbilt on the mound and is better than his 7-7 record and 3.49 ERA show. Walker Buehler is a solid number two with a 10-2 record and a 2.30 ERA, and Carson Fulmer has been great as the closer, going 5-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 10 saves. Vanderbilt is a team that likes to use its speed on the base paths, as its top six hitters have all stolen double digit bases. Dansby Swanson and Bryan Reynolds will be names to watch, as they have used that speed to help them leg out 21 doubles apiece. What Vanderbilt will need is for the two returning starters from last year’s team to play well. Junior Vince Conde has been solid all year, hitting .306 with 4 home runs and 43 RBI’s, but Xavier Turner has had a down year. If he can pick his play up, the Commodores could have a lot of success.
Oregon, Clemson and Xavier will be the other three teams headed to Nashville. Oregon has quietly put together a great season and they will rely on their pitching staff. Junior Tommy Thorpe, 10-4 with a 2.20 ERA, and senior Jeff Gold, 10-2 with a 3.14 ERA, will need to carry the Ducks, and junior closer Jake Reed, who has a 2.08 ERA and 13 saves, will be key at the back end of the bullpen. The Ducks aren’t a great hitting team, as Mitchell Tolman is the lone hitter batting over .300, but both Tolman and Tyler Baumgartner have driven in over 40 runs and Shaun Chase has hit 12 home runs. Clemson barely made it into the tournament and they will be relying on starters Daniel Gossett, 7-1 with a 1.78 ERA, and Matthew Crownover, 8-5 with a 2.26 ERA, to have success. Offensively, the Tigers have a balanced attack, as five different hitters have driven in at least 32 runs. Xavier is the last of the four teams in the field and they will look to ride the momentum of winning the Big East Tournament as a four seed into the regional. Vanderbilt has to like their chances with this regional, but Oregon and Clemson could surprise.
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