When I think of non-conference college baseball rivalries played annually, three immediately to mind:
Vandy and Louisville go back just a few years to when good friends Dan McDonnell and Tim Corbin
decided to play each other annually beginning in 2009 and then to raise the stakes on the game by creating the Battle of the Barrell in 2012 to award to the game winner.
To this day, no one knows what is or was in that barrel. However, I have it on good authority that it was Dan’s idea. Vandy had won the first 3 regular season meetings between the teams as well as knocked off the Cardinals in the 2010 Regional which had driven Dan to excessive drinking from the barrel in his office after the game. His idea, after consuming most of the barrel, was to have the yearly winner keep the barrel for the winner’s After Party in the dugout or on the bus ride home. Unfortunately, my "good authority" is not always reliable so keep that in mind.
Despite humbler beginnings, both teams have risen to be among the cream of the crop in college baseball under the direction of Tim and Dan. The only significant difference between the two is performance in Omaha -- Vandy under Tim is 16-7 with two titles, Louisville under Dan is 1-8 and no where near the trophy.
Some of the most dramatic moments in recent Vandy baseball history have come when these two play:
[Vandy leads 7-4 overall, 4-1 in Louisville but losing the last 3 in Nashville; the visitor has won 7 of the last 9],
the post-season has been much the same but for much higher stakes than just a barrel.
In 2009, Vandy went to Louisville for the Regional and lost the final game (1-1 versus Louisville.)
In 2010, Vandy went to Louisville again for the Regional and knocked off the Redbirds in dramatic fashion as described above (2-1 Vandy in games.)
In 2013, Louisville came to Nashville for the Super Regional and knocked off the Dores in disappointing fashion (2-0 Louisville.)
One year (can’t remember which, just one more sign of my advancing age) I believe Vandy was scheduled to meet in Louisville for the Super Regional but Louisville was upset in their Regional.
Where things have not turned out equally is in Omaha.
Vandy is 3-0 against Louisville at Ameritrade.
Who can forget what Austin Martin did to them in 2019 by hitting two HR in game 1?
Who can forget the come-back win in game 2 against Luke Smith?
Who can forget 2014 when future major leaguers Bryan Reynolds, Dansby Swanson, and Carson Fulmer teamed up to dump Louisville on their way to a national championship?
Vandy's stars always seem to shine when the two teams meet in Omaha.
One could truthfully say that Vandy’s path to the national title always goes through Louisville.
Both teams are nationally ranked yet again this year as Vandy is #2 and Louisville is #15 [they had been #7 last week but got swept over the weekend by Clemson.]
Oddly enough, it's conceivable, but not all that likely, we could see Luke Smith pitch some today. He started on Sunday against Clemson but gave up 6 runs and only lasted 1 inning. Could we be so lucky? If so, I hope the mikes are turned up in the Vandy dugout and Kumar is wearing a wire.
I would review the stats for each team this year but why waste my time?
Those numbers mean nothing when these two teams meet.
In the event the game gets rained out perhaps ESPN will schedule some alternate programming to fill the time slot by having Kumar and Luke meet up in the announcer's booth, in uniform, and engage in a no-words-barred Poetry Slam session. The ratings would be through the roof.
Before I end, I have one final message for Luke....
- South Carolina and Clemson
- Florida and Florida State
- Vandy and Louisville.
Vandy and Louisville go back just a few years to when good friends Dan McDonnell and Tim Corbin
To this day, no one knows what is or was in that barrel. However, I have it on good authority that it was Dan’s idea. Vandy had won the first 3 regular season meetings between the teams as well as knocked off the Cardinals in the 2010 Regional which had driven Dan to excessive drinking from the barrel in his office after the game. His idea, after consuming most of the barrel, was to have the yearly winner keep the barrel for the winner’s After Party in the dugout or on the bus ride home. Unfortunately, my "good authority" is not always reliable so keep that in mind.
Despite humbler beginnings, both teams have risen to be among the cream of the crop in college baseball under the direction of Tim and Dan. The only significant difference between the two is performance in Omaha -- Vandy under Tim is 16-7 with two titles, Louisville under Dan is 1-8 and no where near the trophy.
Some of the most dramatic moments in recent Vandy baseball history have come when these two play:
- Jason Esposito’s dramatic walk-off HR in the bottom on 17th in 2010 which almost led to fisticuffs on the field. IIRC, much taunting had gone on throughout the game and Jason's Super Stomp onto home further heightened tensions.https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...=7ef6c09fc9d2dcad4c84277fa64335ad&action=view
- Richie Goodnow's spot-start and 7-0 shutout win to send the series to a winner-take-all game the next day in 2019.
- Connor Harrell’s walk-off suicide squeeze in the 9th to win that next day.
- Ethan Paul's dramatic 8th inning double in Omaha in 2019 right after Louisville pitcher Luke Smith unleashed a profanity-laced personal attack on mild-mannered Julian Infante seen live around the world [Kumar Rocker’s response from the dugout didn’t get the coverage it deserved IMHO] which scored JJ Bleday to tie the game
- Followed soon after by Pat Demarco's double to give Vandy the lead and win the game.
[Vandy leads 7-4 overall, 4-1 in Louisville but losing the last 3 in Nashville; the visitor has won 7 of the last 9],
the post-season has been much the same but for much higher stakes than just a barrel.
In 2009, Vandy went to Louisville for the Regional and lost the final game (1-1 versus Louisville.)
In 2010, Vandy went to Louisville again for the Regional and knocked off the Redbirds in dramatic fashion as described above (2-1 Vandy in games.)
In 2013, Louisville came to Nashville for the Super Regional and knocked off the Dores in disappointing fashion (2-0 Louisville.)
One year (can’t remember which, just one more sign of my advancing age) I believe Vandy was scheduled to meet in Louisville for the Super Regional but Louisville was upset in their Regional.
Where things have not turned out equally is in Omaha.
Vandy is 3-0 against Louisville at Ameritrade.
Who can forget what Austin Martin did to them in 2019 by hitting two HR in game 1?
Who can forget the come-back win in game 2 against Luke Smith?
Who can forget 2014 when future major leaguers Bryan Reynolds, Dansby Swanson, and Carson Fulmer teamed up to dump Louisville on their way to a national championship?
Vandy's stars always seem to shine when the two teams meet in Omaha.
One could truthfully say that Vandy’s path to the national title always goes through Louisville.
Both teams are nationally ranked yet again this year as Vandy is #2 and Louisville is #15 [they had been #7 last week but got swept over the weekend by Clemson.]
Oddly enough, it's conceivable, but not all that likely, we could see Luke Smith pitch some today. He started on Sunday against Clemson but gave up 6 runs and only lasted 1 inning. Could we be so lucky? If so, I hope the mikes are turned up in the Vandy dugout and Kumar is wearing a wire.
I would review the stats for each team this year but why waste my time?
Those numbers mean nothing when these two teams meet.
In the event the game gets rained out perhaps ESPN will schedule some alternate programming to fill the time slot by having Kumar and Luke meet up in the announcer's booth, in uniform, and engage in a no-words-barred Poetry Slam session. The ratings would be through the roof.
Before I end, I have one final message for Luke....
