1. Get to Michigan Game 1 starter Tommy Henry and knock him out.
Henry is Michigan's Monday starter, and the guy who threw a complete-game shutout of Florida State last week. Michigan has used three guys--Henry, Jeff Criswell and Karl Kauffman--in Omaha. Those are its 1-3 starters.
In other words, they don't seem to trust their bullpen a ton. And looking at the number of their relievers, there's nobody in that pen I'd completely trust, although Keizer and Paige have done some good things at times.
UM used Kauffman for 101 pitches in Game 1 and 100 in Game 3. It threw Criswell for 37 and 36 pitches to close those games and leaned on Henry entirely in between.
If you can get Henry out early, unless it's a blowout one way or another, Michigan potentially has some interesting decisions to make. If you throw Criswell, then I'd think that rules him out to start. And Kaufmann last threw three days ago, so I would think he's not a full-go unless there's a Game 3.
2. Get a big start from Drake Fellows.
I think I said this before the NCAA Tournament, but Fellows may be the key to Vandy winning the whole thing. He was great against Ohio State in the regional, and Vandy made it through to the supers without too much trouble, excepting the brief Game 2 bullpen meltdown. Fellows has one of his worst starts of the year against Duke, and that put the Commodores behind the 8-ball and forced them to win two elimination games to get here.
But Fellows was terrific against Louisville. That kept Vandy out of the loser's bracket and probably, as much as anything, helped them get to this point.
If Fellows is great again, I have a hard time seeing VU lose the series.
3. Get Bleday's power going again.
The right fielder hasn't homered since the SEC Tournament semifinals. He's added plenty of value through a high on-base rate in spite of it, but the Commodore lineup's not the same when Bleday's swatting big flies.
If the junior can get off a bomb, especially early in the series, it could be big.
4. Keep Jordan Nwogu off base.
Nwogu is Michigan's leadoff man. He's got 12 homers, walks 15 percent of the time and creates about 11.1 runs per 27 outs made.
UM has a pretty good top seven in the lineup and then a drop to 8 and 9. Nwogu is the Wolverines' offensive MVP and containing him helps minimize opportunities for Michigan to score.
5. Put pressure on Michigan early.
The Wolverines got here by playing loose and it's worked. Michigan's a really good team and completely capable of winning the series.
But if Vanderbilt can create some early scoring opportunities and put pressure on Michigan, it could create some doubt. Baseball's a mental game and we've seen even great college teams falter some under the pressure.
A key could be getting Harrison Ray on base and having him steal or try a hit-and-run. Ray is 21 of 24 on steals and has ignited many a rally in the last six weeks.
How will Michigan react if Vandy throws an early punch?
6. The x-factor on offense.
Bleday and Austin Martin got first-team All-American recognition, and it was deserved. But it's overshadowed some other great bats, too.
Stephen Scott and Pat DeMarco have shown they can each can carry the team for a series at a time. Ethan Paul is capable of it, too, and I'd never want to pitch to Tyler Duvall or Philip Clarke with men on given how good their plate judgment is.
Oh, and three weekends ago, it was No. 9 hitter Julian Infante earning Nashville Regional MVP honors.
Henry is Michigan's Monday starter, and the guy who threw a complete-game shutout of Florida State last week. Michigan has used three guys--Henry, Jeff Criswell and Karl Kauffman--in Omaha. Those are its 1-3 starters.
In other words, they don't seem to trust their bullpen a ton. And looking at the number of their relievers, there's nobody in that pen I'd completely trust, although Keizer and Paige have done some good things at times.
UM used Kauffman for 101 pitches in Game 1 and 100 in Game 3. It threw Criswell for 37 and 36 pitches to close those games and leaned on Henry entirely in between.
If you can get Henry out early, unless it's a blowout one way or another, Michigan potentially has some interesting decisions to make. If you throw Criswell, then I'd think that rules him out to start. And Kaufmann last threw three days ago, so I would think he's not a full-go unless there's a Game 3.
2. Get a big start from Drake Fellows.
I think I said this before the NCAA Tournament, but Fellows may be the key to Vandy winning the whole thing. He was great against Ohio State in the regional, and Vandy made it through to the supers without too much trouble, excepting the brief Game 2 bullpen meltdown. Fellows has one of his worst starts of the year against Duke, and that put the Commodores behind the 8-ball and forced them to win two elimination games to get here.
But Fellows was terrific against Louisville. That kept Vandy out of the loser's bracket and probably, as much as anything, helped them get to this point.
If Fellows is great again, I have a hard time seeing VU lose the series.
3. Get Bleday's power going again.
The right fielder hasn't homered since the SEC Tournament semifinals. He's added plenty of value through a high on-base rate in spite of it, but the Commodore lineup's not the same when Bleday's swatting big flies.
If the junior can get off a bomb, especially early in the series, it could be big.
4. Keep Jordan Nwogu off base.
Nwogu is Michigan's leadoff man. He's got 12 homers, walks 15 percent of the time and creates about 11.1 runs per 27 outs made.
UM has a pretty good top seven in the lineup and then a drop to 8 and 9. Nwogu is the Wolverines' offensive MVP and containing him helps minimize opportunities for Michigan to score.
5. Put pressure on Michigan early.
The Wolverines got here by playing loose and it's worked. Michigan's a really good team and completely capable of winning the series.
But if Vanderbilt can create some early scoring opportunities and put pressure on Michigan, it could create some doubt. Baseball's a mental game and we've seen even great college teams falter some under the pressure.
A key could be getting Harrison Ray on base and having him steal or try a hit-and-run. Ray is 21 of 24 on steals and has ignited many a rally in the last six weeks.
How will Michigan react if Vandy throws an early punch?
6. The x-factor on offense.
Bleday and Austin Martin got first-team All-American recognition, and it was deserved. But it's overshadowed some other great bats, too.
Stephen Scott and Pat DeMarco have shown they can each can carry the team for a series at a time. Ethan Paul is capable of it, too, and I'd never want to pitch to Tyler Duvall or Philip Clarke with men on given how good their plate judgment is.
Oh, and three weekends ago, it was No. 9 hitter Julian Infante earning Nashville Regional MVP honors.
