No. 1 Vandy blanks A&M, rolls into SEC semis

HOOVER, Ala. — There's no motivation quite like a lingering grudge, even if this one endured for only 48 hours.

No. 1 Vanderbilt blanked Texas A&M 3-0 on Friday, exacting a measure of revenge for Wednesday's loss to the Aggies, while advancing to Saturday's semifinal bout against Mississippi State.

(LSU plays Arkansas in the other semi.)

For the Commodores, the nation's No. 1 team, Friday's don't-let-the-close-score-fool-you "blowout" was a decisive triumph, with the offense grinding out 14 hits and Vandy pitcher Tyler Beede (zero runs and two hits allowed over 7.1 innings) silencing the Aggies bats at every turn.

He also garnered some redemption for a flat outing against Alabama last Sunday, surrendering six runs and eight hits in just 3.2 innings of work.

"Unbelieveable! That's a big-league arm there," said Vandy second baseman Tony Kemp of his teammate. "(Beede will) go a long way with that arm. As long as he keeps that fastball down and slider (moving), he's tough to hit."

The Commodores, on the whole, were tough to beat on this night. Kemp, the SEC's regular season batting and scoring champ, was one of six Vandy players to notch multiple hits against Texas A&M's pitching quintet of Grayson Long, Matt Kent, Kyle Martin, A.J. Minter and Jason Jester.

"We normally (have) a bunting and stretching station (before games)", followed by hitting and defensive stations, explained Kemp, who went 3 for 5 with one run. "We decided to switch it up and go lighter (Friday). Our bodies felt a lot better on the field, and it showed."

Texas A&M didn't collect its first hit until the fifth inning, a testament to Beede's overpowering stuff from the get-go. Drafted in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays two years ago (21st overall), Beede spurned the immediate riches of professional ball out of high school to craft his game at the college level.

And if Friday's outing should be an indicator of things to come, the sophomore Beede will enjoy a considerably higher draft slot next spring.

"It was a great response from last week. I'm happy for him," said Vandy coach Tim Corbin, referencing Beede's sluggish start against Alabama. "It bothered him ... I liked his plan of attack today. I thought he threw the fastball well. He took us deep into the ballgame, which was very much needed."

At 14-0, Beede owns the Vandy record for single-season victories. And closer Brian Miller (15 saves) now holds the school mark for single-season saves.

Prior to Friday's win, Vandy might have been feeling the weight of expectations — as prohibitive tourney favorites and the nation's top-ranked program (recently usurping North Carolina).

Against Alabama, Vandy allowed 21 runs in three games (two victories). And in the SEC tourney opener, the Commodores were stifled by the Aggies (5-0) before needing extra innings to bounce South Carolina.

But that's the mark of a viable title contender, making short work of occasional slumps.

"Vanderbilt's a very dynamic team; they can beat you with speed, with discipline, with power," said A&M head coach Rob Childress. "They don't beat themselves; they're going to play for at least another month."

If Childress's calculations are correct, that puts Vandy deep into the College World Series, perhaps avenging an NCAA title-game defeat (to Florida) from two years ago.

But first things first for the Commodores, who must fend off Mississippi State's own revenge pact in the semifinals, after the Bulldogs were swept in Nashville five weeks ago.