VandyBoys Opening Weekend Opponents Quick Preview

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The Vanderbilt Commodores are back for their 24th season under Tim Corbin, and opening weekend sends the VandyBoys to Arlington, Texas for the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. Vanderbilt will play all three games inside Globe Life Field, the retractable-roof home of the Texas Rangers.

Below is everything you need to know for opening weekend, including projected starting pitching matchups and 2025 stats where available.

Friday (2/13) vs. #10 TCU Horned Frogs

TV: FloSports
Time: 3:00 pm
Weather: 80°, partly cloudy
Location: Globe Life Field (Arlington, TX)
Pitching Matchup: Connor Fennell vs. Tommy LaPour
Tommy LaPour Profile:
- 📌Baseball-Reference:
  - https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lapour000tom
- Throws: R
- Class: Jr.
- 2025 Role: Weekend starter
- 2025 Starts: 16
- 2025 Record: 8–3
- ERA: 3.09
- WHIP: 1.16
- Innings: 90.1
- Strikeouts: 88
- 2025 Season Snapshot:
  - LaPour emerged as TCU’s top starter in 2025, leading the Horned Frogs in starts and innings while providing consistent, reliable production every weekend. He worked deep into games, limited damage, and served as the anchor of TCU’s rotation throughout the season.
TCU Projected Starting Lineup:

Position	Player	Year	Average	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI	Prev. School
C	Nolan Traeger	So.	.327	.429	.472	159	3	17
1B	Rob Liddington	G-Sr.	.359	.448	.675	206	15	50	Incarnate Ward
2B	Cole Cramer	G-Sr.	.320	.433	.419	222	3	43
3B	Colton Griffin	Jr.	.266	.381	.415	94	2	14
SS	Jack Bell	Jr.	.259	.376	.453	139	5	31
OF	Sawyer Strosnider	So.	.350	.420	.650	220	11	51
OF	Chase Brunson	Jr.	.317	.395	.554	224	12	46
OF	Noah Franco	So.	.313	.396	.548	217	11	49
DH	Kyuss Gargett	Jr.	.266	.343	.330	94	1	17	Kentucky

SAWYER. STROSNIDER.

6 RBIs • 2 home runs pic.twitter.com/zztT4X3woi
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) March 23, 2025

Saturday (2/14) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

TV: FloSports
Time: 11:00 am
Weather: 69°, possible storms
Location: Globe Life Field (Arlington, TX)
Pitching Matchup: Austin Nye vs. Lukas Pirko
Lukas Pirko Profile:
- 📌 Baseball-Reference:
  - https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pirko-000luk
- Throws: R
- Class: So.
- 2025 Role: Starter / Reliever
- 2025 Starts: 4
- 2025 Record: 0-4
- ERA: 7.25
- WHIP: 1.86
- Innings: 36.0
- Strikeouts: 30
- 2025 Season Snapshot:
  - Pirko filled a hybrid role for Texas Tech in 2025, making appearances both as a starter and out of the bullpen. While his overall numbers were inconsistent, he flashed swing-and-miss stuff and logged meaningful innings, leading to an expanded opportunity entering 2026.
Texas Tech Projected Starting Lineup:

Position	Player	Year	Average	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI	Prev. School
C	Matt Quintanar	Jr.	.407	.511	.706	226	15	57	JUCO
1B	Robin Villeneuve	G-Sr.	.365	.447	.661	189	12	49
2B	Tracer Lopez	Sr.	.299	.357	.407	221	5	30
3B	Linkin Garcia	Fr.	—	—	—	—	—	—
SS	Coleman Ryan	So.	.248	.292	.292	113	0	11
LF	Logan Hughes	Jr.	.327	.411	.697	211	19	58
CF	Kyeler Thompson	Jr.	.257	.358	.346	191	2	23
RF	Jace Souza	So.	.222	.323	.259	27	0	1
DH	Connor Shouse	So.	.265	.431	.559	34	2	8	Georgia Tech

LOGAN HUGHES CLEARS THE BASES

AND WE'RE BACK ON TOP!

Tech: 9
UCI: 8 pic.twitter.com/GP1MhOeJGC
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) February 23, 2025

Sunday (2/15) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

TV: FloSports
Time: 10:30 am
Weather: 71°, sunny
Location: Globe Life Field (Arlington, TX)
Pitching Matchup: Nate Taylor vs. TBD
Oklahoma State Projected Starting Lineup:

Position	Player	Year	Average	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI	Prev. School
C	Campbell Smithwick	Jr.	.282	.410	.464	110	5	23	Ole Miss
1B	Colin Brueggemann	Jr.	.303	.380	.582	208	15	54
2B	Brock Thompson	So.	.231	.376	.434	143	7	26
3B	Aidan Meola	Sr.	.255	.327	.426	47	1	10
SS	Avery Ortiz	Jr.	.273	.375	.509	55	3	8
LF	Garrett Shull	So.	.248	.328	.367	109	2	9
CF	Kollin Ritchie	Jr.	.291	.385	.645	141	14	38
RF	T.P. Wentworth	Gr.	.220	.350	.280	50	0	7	Clemson
DH	Alex Conover	Jr.	.254	.370	.474	114	6	22

Bases are FOC… and now they're not, thanks to this no doubter from Colin Brueggemann!

Watch the action now on @FloCollege ➡️ https://t.co/XyCeHv0a48 #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/9FWyYBGamt
— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) February 15, 2025

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