Date: 2/7
Position: Pitchers

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Randy Bell (16 App, 11 GS, 7-1, 2.45 ERA, 60 K, 20 BB, 88.1 IP, 5 CG), Avery Geyer (9 App, 1-2, 5.48 ERA, 12 K, 3 BB, 21.1 IP), Thomas Huston (8 App, 3 GS, 1-0, 7.02 ERA, 7 K, 4 BB, 16.2 IP), Joey Jones (Redshirted in 2016), Zach McMullen (Redshirted in 2016), Matt Peacock (Did not make an appearance in 2016), Matt Sharp (1 App, 1-0, 1 K, 1 BB, 1.1 IP), Harrison Spruiell (6 App, 3 GS, 1-1, 5.06 ERA, 16 K, 8 BB, 16 IP)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  John Barr (5 App, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 2 K, 1 BB, 4.0 IP), Austin Bembnowski (15 App, 15 GS, 6-4, 3.91 ERA, 65 K, 33 BB, 71.1 IP), Mike Dolloff (21 App, 4-4, 4.05 ERA, 2 SV, 18 K, 14 BB, 33.1 IP), Justin Flores (4 App, 0-0, 20.25 ERA, 1 K, 3 BB, 1.1 IP), Kevin Hill (16 app, 16 GS, 8-2, 2.86 ERA, 126 K, 31 BB, 122.2 IP, 4 CG), Ryne Long (14 App, 3 GS, 4-0, 3.83 ERA, 1 SV, 24 K, 10 BB, 40 IP), Shane McKinley (21 App, 1-2, 3.08 ERA, 9 SV, 16 K, 12 BB, 26.1 IP), Jordan Schmits (2 App, 0-0, 16.20 ERA, 1 K, 2 BB, 1.2 IP), Hunter Soleymani (15 App, 13 GS, 4-4, 4.29 ERA, 47 K, 34 BB, 79.2 IP, 1 CG), James Traylor (25 App, 5-1, 5.26 ERA, 20 K, 15 BB, 25.2 IP), Cody Van Aken (21 App, 0-1, 5.32 ERA, 13 K, 8 BB, 23.2 IP)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school):  Alex Adair (Jr., Weatherford [Texas] CC), Andy Arguelles (Fr., Christopher Columbus [Fla.] HS), Kyle Bayles (Jr., Meridian [Miss.] CC), Tyler Carr (Jr., St. Johns River [Fla.] CC), Andrew Cash (Fr., Flomaton [Ala.] HS), Nick DeSantis (Jr., Lawson State [Ala.] CC), Will Eiland (Jr., Wallace State-Hanceville [Ala.] CC), Jason Lott (Jr., Alvin [Texas] CC), Will Luft (Jr., Northwest Florida State JC), Zach Melton (Jr., Central Alabama CC), Noah Michael (Fr., St. Paul's Episcopal [Ala.] School), Tyler Perez (Fr., Mater Academy Charter [Fla.] HS), Griffin Rivers (Fr., Pelham [Ala.] HS), Sean Trimble (So., Orange Coast [Calif.] CC)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Kevin Hill was named the 2016 Sun Belt Conference Male Student-Athlete of the Year, and also earned his second consecutive SBC Pitcher of the Year award.
- Hill was named Louisville Slugger first-team All-America by Collegiate Baseball, and third-team All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
- Hill also earned first-team all-region honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association, as well as first-team all-SBC.
- Hill led the SBC in strikeouts (126) for the second straight season last year, and also led the league in innings pitched (122.2). He ranked tied for second in wins (8).
- Hill finished his career ranked fourth in career strikeouts (326) at South Alabama. He was selected by the Houston Astros in the 25th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.
- Randy Bell was named to the SBC All-Tournament team after tossing a complete-game shutout over Texas-Arlington in San Marcos, Texas. He retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced in the game after issuing two walks through the first four frames, and did not allow a hit until a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth inning. He allowed just three hits over nine innings, and recorded a pair of strikeouts while issuing three walks to earn the win.
- Left-hander James Traylor closed his career at USA ranked second in career appearances (85).
- The Jaguar pitching staff led the league in innings pitched (573.1) last season, ranked second in ERA (3.77) and wins (42), and finished fourth in strikeouts (418).  

Head Coach Mark Calvi
-On the starting rotation:
"We have some depth in that group. Randy Bell will be our Friday night guy, but beyond that I am not sure yet. The list of candidates for the other four spots, and there is going to be more than four guys for four spots. Will Eiland, Zach McMullen and Zach Melton, Sean Trimble, Jason Lott and Harrison Spruiell – that is seven guys for really three spots. Then you have (Tyler) Perez and (Andy) Arguelles, younger guys who have both been starters and done a nice job. The good thing is have some depth there. I'm not into running four or five pitchers out there in a game just to get them work, but we have some quality guys who need to get some work and that is the only way they develop and help you. I like the pool of candidates for starters. Our midweek schedule is rough; there are some good teams we play. Two of the last four years we have gone to (NCAA) regionals, and it was because we won our share of midweek games. We did well on the weekends, you have to win all the time, but those midweek games are super important. But after Randy, I really like the pool of starters that we can go to right now. A lot of these guys are new, but they all have good arms. We have some talent and depth there, it's just a matter of where it goes. I will be comfortable with whoever I put out there."

-On the bullpen:
"Tyler Carr has been a closer by trade the last two years at a very good junior college program. Nick DeSantis has a very good breaking ball, and Avery Geyer has been up to 95 (mph) – he has a really good arm. Matt Peacock has been 90-95 and has also been really good. We have some good arms at the back end of the game. We have some options there. I like guys who can mix it up and do some things from a pitchability standpoint early, and guys who can get it by you and strike you out late in the game. Hopefully that is the mix we will be able to achieve on the mound."

-On replacing Kevin Hill in the starting rotation:
"I never asked Kevin to be anything more than what he was, and I would never ask Randy Bell to be more than what he is. He and Kevin are different pitchers, but they are both very effective. Randy is the definite number-one pitcher here. To say, 'All we need you to do is what Kevin did the last two years', is not fair to him. He might do better. But all we ask of this guys is for them to be the best version of themselves. If Randy is a very good version of himself every time out there, then we will have the same chance to win a ballgame as when Kevin Hill was pitching. They might just do it a little bit differently. Kevin had four or five pitches, and Randy has three. Randy moves his fastball around a little more and has a better curveball than Kevin. Hill threw the changeup more and had a better slider, but both guys are very effective. We feel great about Randy Bell; he will be one of the top Friday night guys in this league."

Harrison Spruiell
-On this year's pitching staff:
"I think we will have more talent, in general, across the board. Last year, the starters were huge; they ate up a ton of innings. But we'll be able to do this year is get to the sixth inning then go to the bullpen and finish games. We have good depth in the bullpen."

-On his progression since last season:
"The first start for me was one to remember. Southern Miss had, in my opinion as well as others, one of the best lineups that we faced last year. And having success against them definitely gave me a lot of confidence to go out there and go at people. The experience of pitching in front of a crowd that big will definitely help you not get fazed once you get in front of a crowd at a (NCAA) regional. I have made strides in the weight room and improvements in my delivery that have really helped me, especially this past fall."

-On his role on the staff:
"I don't have a preference of starting or relieving. Coach Calvi stresses a ton that you don't know when a game is going to be won – whether it is in the first, fifth or ninth inning. As a pitcher, your role is to get outs and to win. That's what I focus on; I'm not big on getting caught up in starting or relieving."

Randy Bell
-On what he gained from last season's experience:
"Just playing with the older guys who had been there before on that stage, really the best experience you can get is by getting out there and playing. That will really help me this year."

-On the strengths of the pitching staff:
"We are really deep, but we just throw a lot of strikes and let the hitters hit it and get themselves out. We don't pitch around too many guys, we just trust in our stuff and go right after them and get outs."

-On what he has to do in order for the team to be successful:
"I just have to go out there and compete every day to give our team a chance to win, and be the best version of myself that I can be."

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