Date: 2/10
Position: Outfielders

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Andrew Cash (.125, 1 RBI, .300 OBP);  Brendan Donovan (.336, 17 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 46 RBIs, 52 R, .564 SLG%, .448 OBP, 8 SB);  Dylan Hardy (.363, 10 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 53 R, .498 SLG%, .424 OBP, 18 SB);  Travis Swaggerty (.356, 12 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 60 RBIs, 55 R, .571 SLG%, .484 OBP, 19 SB);  Colton Thomas (.327, 6 2B, 4 HR, 18 RBIs, 30 R, .505 SLG%, .444 OBP, 5 SB)

Returning Redshirts (Yr., Previous school):  Michael Sandle (Fr., Navarre [Fla.] HS)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  Cam Cumings (.220, 3 2B, 7 RBIs, 13 R, .429 OBP); Eddie Paparella (.268, 6 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBIs, 24 R, .504 SLG%, .384 OBP, 3 SB);  Adam Wolfe (.174, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 6 R, .565 SLG%)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school):  Andrew Bates (Fr., Pace [Fla.] HS);  Evan Richards (So., West Hills [Calif.] CC)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Swaggerty was named a 2018 preseason first-team All-American by Baseball America, D1Baseball, College Sports Madness and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and was a third-team preseason All-America selection by Collegiate Baseball.
- Swaggerty was also voted the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year as well as preseason all-SBC by the league's coaches.
- Swaggerty was also named to the USA Baseball 2018 Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
- Swaggerty was a second-team All-America selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings last season, and also earned first-team all-South Central Region by the ABCA and first-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors. He led the SBC in on-base percentage (.484), runs scored (55) and RBI (60), ranked second in batting average (.356), third in walks (49), tied for fourth in hits (78) and stolen bases (19), and fifth in slugging percentage (.571). Swaggerty also ranked second in the conference in walks (26) in league contests.
- Donovan led the SBC in runs scored (36) in league games, and ranked second in RBI (34) and doubles (11), and third in walks (25).
- Donovan was named the 2017 SBC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after batting .438 with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI and two runs scored in three games, including a walk-off single in the 10th inning to defeat Georgia Southern in the championship game.
- Donovan played for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer.
- Hardy was a second-team all-SBC selection last season. He led the SBC in batting average (.363), and also led the league in hits (48) in conference contests, tied for second in stolen bases (9) and ranked third in runs scored (33).
- Hardy finished the year ranked second in the SBC in batting average (.387) in conference contests..
- Hardy was named to the SBC All-Tournament Team as well as the NCAA Hattiesburg (Miss.) All-Regional Team.
- Thomas batted .333 with three doubles, three home runs, 11 RBIs, 17 runs scored, a .583 slugging percentage and .450 OBP in 20 SBC games played last year.

Head Coach Mark Calvi
-On the outfield:
"I like our depth and ability out there. Swaggerty in center field is who he is, and Dylan Hardy has really turned himself into a really good outfielder. Those two guys have played next to each other all year long, and it's kind of cool to hear them communicating with each other during intrasquad games. They have played a lot with (Michael) Sandle out in right field, as well as Colton Thomas. Colton has played the corner, but he is kind of that fearless outfielder that you have to make sure isn't running into walls during practice; just the energy and effort you get from that guy is off the charts. He has been playing center field as of late for us, and he's done a really good job out there. Like the infield, we have some guys who can play multiple positions. We have several guys who we could throw out there and play center field and do a great job. Would we miss Travis if he had to miss a weekend? Absolutely we would miss him, but it's not like we wouldn't have someone to put out there. As long as guys are healthy, we have options all around the outfield. And you throw the development of Michael Sandle over the last year in there, and Andrew Bates who is a freshman who will be a great player in this program – he is right up there at the top in terms of defensive outfielders. He has the second-best throwing arm, and his routes are outstanding. Andrew just has an idea out there; he can play center field, but right now he would be in right field. Hardy, Swaggerty, Colton Thomas, Michael Sandle and Andrew Bates – you have five guys right there who are pretty good choices. And if you ever needed it, Brendan Donovan could go out there and play all three positions and not miss a beat. Andrew Cash is another guy who could go out there and play center field and do a great job. I like the experience and depth out there. We have speed and a couple of guys who throw well. The guys that don't throw as well are accurate. They're not going to screw the game up and understand the situations and where the ball needs to go. They have an idea of how to play defense and how we like to play it here. I feel good with our guys in the outfield."

Dylan Hardy
- On his role in the lineup:
"I just have to play my game and put pressure on the defense – get on base and let those guys behind me drive me in and do what they do, and put them in a position to succeed. That's what they're good at and that's why they are there."

- On what he gained from his postseason success last year:
"They are all the same from the regular season games. There's no need to put any added pressure on yourself. You play a tough schedule throughout the year to prepare yourself for the postseason. Going in with the mindset that it is still the same game whether it is the regular season or the postseason really helped me."

- On his home run production last season:
"I think it is just about being in the weight room and getting stronger. And I got in the cages and worked on my swing and found what works for me. Those home runs came toward the end of the year, and that had a lot to do with my confidence level and my swing in general."

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