Vanderbilt’s Baseball Notebook: Fennell Falters, Bats Go Quiet, Pressure Mounts – Sports Illustrated

Vanderbilt Baseball entered Friday’s series opener with a golden opportunity to build off the momentum of three straight wins and boost its RPI and postseason outlook with a victory against Texas. With Connor Fennell on the mound, it was likely the Commodores’ best chance to steal a game from D1 Baseball’s No. 4 team in the country.  
Instead, Tim Corbin’s squad was embarssed in front of a sold-out crowd on Friday night, falling 11-4 in the opener.  
Fennell’s Margin for Error Runs Out 
After retiring six of the first eight batters he faced, Fennell surrendered a solo home run to Aiden Robbins over the high wall in left field. From there, things quickly unraveled for the fiery right-hander, who’s been a much-needed steady presence for a depleted Commodore pitching staff this season. Three innings later, the New Hampshire native had allowed 12 hits to a relentless Longhorn lineup, and Vanderbilt found itself staring at a nine-run deficit. 
Friday’s outing may have exposed the limits of Fennell’s skills et. The right-hander thrives on deception, with his fastball generating consistent whiffs thanks to its above-average ride and flat approach angle to the plate. However, it’s still an 88 MPH heater, and when hitters are sitting on it, it’s not difficult to square up — especially when it’s left over the plate. 
That was the case with Robbins in the fourth inning. After taking an 89 MPH fastball on the inner third over the monster in the third, Robbins stepped up the next inning anticipating another. On the first pitch, Fennell left a heater out over the plate, and Robbins didn’t miss, hitting it deep into the left-center field night.  
he's playing with the sliders down rn 🎮#HookEm | @AidenRobbins43 pic.twitter.com/1IY6PC53Vd
“If someone does damage against him, it’s probably because he’s not putting the ball where he wants to,” Corbin said after the game. “He is who he is… when patient teams see guys that throw strikes, they may flip their approach and just say ‘Let’s go after him early.’ 
Perhaps Fennell could have mixed in his secondaries more — especially to Robbins— but Texas’ offensive outburst was a reminder that it’s very hard to succeed at this level without premium velocity. Fennell’s has proven to be a rare exception, but his margin for error remains much smaller than that of pitchers who can reach the upper 90s. That reality was on display Friday.  
Still, Fennell continues to eat innings for a pitching staff that desperately needs it, and that carries value of its own.  
Volantis Silences Vanderbilt’s Offense 
Hitting coach Jason Esposito’s offense has been the backbone of Vanderbilt’s success this season, but it was largely shut down Friday night. Dylan Volantis was the main why. 
The tall left-hander attacked the Commodores with an over-the top release and steep approach angles — the stylistic counterpart of Fennell. Volantis struck out 11 Vanderbilt hitters across six innings of one-run ball, allowing only four hits and one walk before departing. A name to watch in a loaded 2027 college pitching draft class, Volantis’ funky fastball-breaking ball combination proved devastating at Hawkins Field Friday night. 
“He’s a guy that has a tough slot,” Corbin said. “People have a tough time against him. He was throwing the ball in areas that we just couldn’t get to, and we didn’t do much with him.” 
Once Volantis exited, the lineup showed signs of life. In the seventh inning, with Texas pushing for a run-rule win, Korbin Reynolds and Mike Mancini slugged home runs off right-hander Max Grubbs. If nothing else, that forced four different pitchers into the game in the seventh inning alone and pushed Jim Schlossnagle to call on Sam Cozart in the eighth. Perhaps that will play to Vanderbilt’s advantage later in the weekend. 
The Clock is Ticking on the ‘Dores 
Simply put, Vanderbilt cannot afford to be swept this weekend. With an RPI of 71 entering the weekend, the Commodores are on the outside looking in for an NCAA tournament bid — even with a respectable conference record. Though Texas is one of the nation’s top teams, Corbin’s squad needs to find a way to take at least one game to avoid further damage to its RPI and postseason chances.  
That task won't get any easier Saturday. While Vanderbilt’s starter remains to be determined, Texas is set to send Ruger Riojas to the mound. Riojas enters with a 3.25 ERA and a 33.2 K-BB%, trailing only Oregon State’s Dax Whitney and USC’s Mason Edwards in that category. His 1.65 FIP (fielding independent pitching) — a metric that evaluates a pitcher on the three true outcomes he controls — is the best mark of any starter in the country.  
If Vanderbilt can salvage one of the next two games, there’s still a real path to a regional appearance for Vanderbilt. And with the offensive firepower this team has shown, anything can happen from there. 
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Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.
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