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Living Like Lou Classic Preview: Breaking Down the VandyBoys’ Opponents

by: Colin Bryant02/27/26PeterPorker714

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The Vanderbilt Commodores are coming off a 6–0 homestand and now head to Las Vegas for the Live Like Lou Classic. Vanderbilt will play all three games at Las Vegas Ballpark as part of a loaded early-season field.

Below is everything you need to know for the weekend, including how to watch, projected starting pitching matchups, and expected opposing lineups.

Friday (2/27) vs. University of California Irvine [6-3]

  • TV: D1Baseball
  • Radio: 94.9 The Fan
  • Time: 4:00 pm
  • Weather: 84°, Mainly Sunny
  • Location: Las Vegas Ballpark (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Pitching Matchup: Connor Fennell vs. Trevor Hansen
  • Opponent Pitching Profile:
    • 📌Baseball-Reference:
    • Throws: R
    • Class: Jr.
    • Starts: 2
    • Record: 2–0
    • ERA: 1.88
    • WHIP: 0.628
    • Innings: 14.1
    • Strikeouts: 20
    • Walks: 2
    • Snapshot:
      • Hansen has developed into a true Friday arm for UC Irvine. After trimming his ERA from 5.69 in 2024 to 3.30 in 2025, he’s taken another step early in 2026: 2–0, 1.88 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 14.1 innings, and just 2 walks.
      • The biggest jump is command. His BB/9 has dropped from 4.1 (2024) to 2.9 (2025) to 1.3 so far in 2026, while his strikeout rate has climbed to 12.6 K/9. Opponents are hitting just .149 against him this year (7 hits allowed).
      • He’s no longer just a reliable innings-eater, he’s missing bats at a high level and pounding the zone. If he’s locating early, he can absolutely control the game. Vandy will look to get him out of the game quickly, if they can.
  • UC Irvine Projected Starting Lineup:
PositionPlayerYearAverageOBPSLGABHRRBI
CEfren OrtegaSO.182.280.1822201
1BAlonso ReyesJR.400.550.5003009
2BAuggie GutierrezJR.200.467.2001000
3BJames CastagnolaJR.042.233.0422400
SSZach FjelstadJR.353.425.4713404
LFRowan FelschSR.103.229.1382904
CFTommy Farmer IVJR.242.308.3643304
RFFrankie CarneyJR.286.390.3433501
DHLandon GazJR.167.231.4171214

Saturday (2/28) vs. University of Arizona [1-7]

  • TV: D1Baseball
  • Radio: 94.9 The Fan
  • Time: 6:00 pm
  • Weather: 84°, Mostly Cloudy
  • Location: Las Vegas Ballpark (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Pitching Matchup: Austin Nye vs. Smith Bailey
  • Opponent Pitching Profile:
    • 📌Baseball-Reference:
      • https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bailey000smi
    • Throws: R
    • Class: So.
    • Starts: 2
    • Record: 0–0
    • ERA: 3.27
    • WHIP: 1.273
    • Innings: 11.0
    • Strikeouts: 10
    • Walks: 6
    • Snapshot:
      • Bailey stepped right into Arizona’s weekend rotation as a freshman in 2025, making 18 starts and throwing 89 innings with a 3.94 ERA and 80 strikeouts. He showed durability and kept the ball in the yard (0.8 HR/9), forcing opponents to string together hits rather than beating him with one swing.
      • Through two starts in 2026, he owns a 3.27 ERA over 11 innings with 10 strikeouts. The strikeout rate has remained steady (8+ K/9), though the walk rate has climbed in the early sample.
      • He’s not an overpowering arm, but he’s steady and competitive. If he can avoid walks, he can settle into games and give Arizona quality length.
  • Arizona Projected Starting Lineup:
PositionPlayerYearAverageOBPSLGABHRRBI
CBeau SylvesterSR.207.233.2762903
1BTony LiraSO.382.432.5293413
2BTyler BickersSR.167.348.1671802
SSMathis MeurantSR.182.296.1822202
3BMaddox MihalakisSR.086.132.1713502
LFAndrew CainJR.212.270.2423304
CFCarson McEntireSO.200.273.3333014
RFCaleb DanzeisenFR.308.438.3851300
DHCash BrennanFR.364.462.4551100

Sunday (3/1) vs. University of Oregon [8-0]

  • TV: D1Baseball
  • Radio: 102.5 The Game
  • Time: 1:00 pm
  • Weather: 84°, Sunshine and Clouds Mixed
  • Location: Las Vegas Ballpark (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Pitching Matchup: Nate Taylor vs. Cal Scolari
  • Opponent Pitching Profile:
    • 📌Baseball-Reference:
      • https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scolar000cal
    • Throws: R
    • Class: So.
    • Starts: 2
    • Record: 1–0
    • ERA: 1.13
    • WHIP: 1.250
    • Innings: 8.0
    • Strikeouts: 12
    • Walks: 7
    • Snapshot:
      • Scorali transferred in after spending 2025 as a full-time starter at San Diego, where he logged 70.1 innings with a 4.22 ERA and nearly 10 strikeouts per nine. He’s always had swing-and-miss ability, but walks (5.0 BB/9 in 2025) were part of the profile.
      • Early in 2026 at Oregon, the stuff has played. Through two starts he owns a 1.13 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 8 innings (13.5 K/9) while allowing just three hits. The command is still volatile — seven walks already — but hitters aren’t squaring him up.
      • He profiles as a high-variance, high-strikeout arm. If he throws enough strikes, he can dominate; if not, pitch counts could climb quickly.
  • Oregon Projected Starting Lineup:
PositionPlayerYearAverageOBPSLGABHRRBI
CBrayden JaksaFR.412.474.7061714
1BGabe MirandaJR.167.382.2922416
2BRyan CooneyJR.371.463.5713517
SSMaddox MolonyJR.286.417.6072829
3BDrew SmithSR.478.5711.00023318
LFJax GimenezSO.440.576.6802509
CFJack BrooksJR.273.467.4552202
RFAngel LayaFR.444.516.7412728
DHDominic HellmanSR.250.364.3932817

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