Weekend VU sports photo gallery

Vanderbilt's women's tennis, women's golf and baseball teams were very busy over the weekend. VandyMania's Whitney D. was there and captured photos of several very important events and games for all the teams.

On Friday night, the baseball team opened a three-game series with Georgia. The weather was perfect for baseball, and a standing room only crowd of 2,533 set the all-time attendance record for Hawkins Field. The record-breaking crowd was disappointed, however, when Georgia won the series opener 9-7.



One of the faces in the crowd was Taka Bertrand, who holds down the #2 singles spot for the women's tennis team. With Vanderbilt 9-1 in the SEC and Kentucky 8-2, Saturday's match between the Commodores and the Wildcats would decide which team would get the #2 seed in the SEC tournament next weekend.



On Saturday morning, the women's golf team continued their quest for an SEC championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Brentwood. Kristen Svicarovich birdied holes 13 through 13 on her way to a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday. In the end, however, Auburn claimed the championship, and Vanderbilt finished fourth.


Every Superman has his Clark Kent. On Saturday, the Hot Dog Man's alter ego, Brandon Barca of the marketing department, was spotted at the Legends Club, staffing the merchancise tent at the golf tournament.



Back on campus at the Currey Center, the tennis match with Kentucky was underway. After Vanderbilt won the doubles point, Bertrand won the #2 singles match in straight sets, as did Amanda Fish in the #1 singles match to put Vanderbilt ahead 3-0.



With their matches complete, Fish and Bertrand watched from the sidelines as their teammates sealed the 5-2 victory and the #2 seed for the SEC tournament and a first round bye. Their first game in the tournament will be on Friday afternoon.



"Take me out to the ball game! Take me out in the crowd!" Across the street from the Currey center, the baseball team was back in action for the second game in the Georgia series.



Going into the bottom of the ninth, the Dores trailed 4-3. A double by Matt Meingasner drove in Alex Feinberg with the tying run. Matt Buschmann went in as a pinch runner for Meingasner, then scored the game-winning run on a single to right by Pedro Alvarez. After the team mobbed Buschmann at the plate, #14 David Price led the charge to first base where Alvarez got his turn in the mob.



On Sunday afternoon, Vandy wore their throwback uniforms for the rubber game of the series. Casey Weathers relieved starting pitcher Matt Buschmann in the 6th inning with one out and the base loaded. Weathers struck out the next two batters to end the threat.



Freshman hird baseman Pedro Alvarez capped off a week in which he hit six home runs, batted in 17 runs and was perfect in the field with zero errors in 14 chances.


After Vanderbilt's 11-3 victory, freshman first baseman Ryan Flaherty modeled the throwback uniforms.



The Hot Dog Man was back in business, throwing t-shirts and hot dogs to the crowd during the game. Afterwards, he gave away some free hot dogs to fans who were waiting for the autograph signing session.



Even the numerals on the back of the uniforms were distinctly different from modern-day numbers.



Having just won a big SEC series to improve to 10-5 in the SEC, Price and Flaherty and their teammates had plenty to smile about as they signed autographs after the game.



Photos copyright 2006 by Whitney D for VandyMania.com.