Series Preview and Friday Game Thread vs. The Jamal Mashburn Wedding Jerseys

College Basketball: NCAA Playoffs: Kentucky Jamal Mashburn (24) in action, post up vs Wake Forest at Charlotte Coliseum. Charlotte, NC 3/25/1993 CREDIT: John Biever (Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X44143 TK3 F2 R4)

Friday at 5:30pm CT on SECN+, Saturday at 1pm CT on SECN+, and Sunday at 12pm CT on SECN+.

The Jamal Mashburn Wedding Jerseys (NR)

‘26 Record: 25-10 (7-8 SEC). The Wedding Jerseys have matched our one game under .500 conference record, but had a much stronger OOC record (18-2), thus placing them in a less precarious position, RPI wise, than our Diamond Dores. As such, this series—especially after dropping a winnable series at home to the OK Boomers—is one we might just need to win to keep our chances of extending the Corbs’ Postseason Streak.

In conference play, The Wedding Jerseys opened with a home sweep over the Ramajama Gumps (that’s good!), then dropped 2 of 3 at Ole Piss (that’s… umm… fine, honestly?). They then took 2 of 3 from The Gumbo Bengals in Alex’s Box (that used to be good!), but then dropped 2 of three from Missourah (spits; that’s bad!) at home. Last week, they dropped 2 of 3 to The War Tigers by the Toomer’s Trees (that’s… understandable!).

Okay, what does that tell us? Absolutely nothing. Maybe that The Wedding Jerseys are as bipolar as a substantial portion of the women I’ve dated? Let’s see if their OOC play tells us anything.

In OOC play, they ate cupcakes and won most of them. That also tells us nothing. Basically, worst case scenario, this Wedding Jersey series is a toss-up, and only because it’s in Wedding Jerseyville (and, of course, we don’t exactly have three starting pitchers).

We probably need to win this series, considering our next two are vs. The Tejas Long Fedoras at home and then at Ramajama.

**Player to Watch:**I’ll go with #37 Jr. CF Jayce “Face Varnish” Tharnish (.368/.436/.507 with 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, and 24-25 SB).  The speedy CF alternates between leading off and batting 3rd, but how the hell do you not just write a guy with that many steals into the leadoff spot in Sharpie and call it a day at the beginning of the season? Well, largely because this Wedding Jersey roster is packed with Punch and Judy slap-hitters, and they literally only have one player who’s donged north of even 5 long balls this season. That ought to help The Spice and Ice Town, who are prone to giving up the long ball, but less prone to multi-hit innings.

Anchor of Gold Tiger Beat Hottest Pitcher: Wedding Jersey #0 Jr. RHP Jaxon “4th School” Jelkin (6-1; 3.38 ERA; 10.12 K/9). He started as a Corn Shucker, then transferred to South Mountain Community College, then was the Houston Cougars Friday starter, then Redshirted in 2025, and finally put on a Wedding Jersey. College athletics in the 2020s… catch the fever!

4th School Jelkin is the Wedding Jersey Friday guy, as well, but note that he was absolutely shellacked last week on The Plains, yielding 7 H and 8 R in 2 IP against The War Tigers. Yeah… wise to jump on him early, methinks, to see just how shaken his confidence is.

Andrew VU ‘04 2026 All-Name Team Nominee: Oh dear Pinman, the Wedding Jerseys are packed to the gills with proper baseball names, like Tagger Tyson and Jack Sams, as well as clearly Only Fans Feet Model names like Burkley Bounds and Caden Cloud, but I’ve got to give my All-Name Team honors to #24 Fr. OF Braxton Van Cleave. I want to paint that name. It’s as if a group of old money Danish royal families up and moved to Utah.

On the Mound

Friday @ 5:30pm on SECN+

Vanderbilt #39 Jr. RHP Connor “The Spice” Fennell (3-1; 5.15 ERA; 11.90 K/9)

vs. Wedding Jersey #0 Jr. RHP Jaxon “4th School” Jelkin (6-1; 3.38 ERA; 10.12 K/9)

The Lineup

*Will update when posted.

See you in the comments.