MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball right-hander Ben Taylor recently sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss the season, as well as life away from the field.

Taylor is 3-0 with two saves and has not allowed a run in 10 appearances this season. He has struck out 23 batters and issued just five walks in 11 2/3 innings, and helped lead the Jags to a 3-0 shutout over Alabama Tuesday at Stanky Field with a career-high eight strikeouts in four innings pitched.

What made you decide to come to South Alabama?
"I was being recruited by Auburn, Ole Miss and some Division II schools as well. But with South Alabama having two pitching coaches, and Coach Calvi having won a national championship at South Carolina made it a win-win situation coming here."

What areas have you improved in since you arrived at USA?
"I was always a starter before I came here. But I made the transition to the bullpen and feel like I have made a lot of strides there. I have become a much better pitcher coming out of the bullpen. I think I have just become a better all-around pitcher."

What are your strengths as a pitcher?
"I'm going to give you my best effort every time. I might not always have my best stuff, but I'm pretty consistent. I'm always going to give you something that is a quality outing. If not, I can usually keep it under control."

What are some difficulties of pitching when you don't have your best stuff on a given day?
"It's really a mindset. Whenever you go out there and you know you don't have your best stuff, you know you're going to give up some hits. But even if you do, you have to keep attacking the hitters. You have to give your best effort for that day, and when you do that good things usually happen."

How different is it to be a starting pitcher versus a reliever?
"When I was a starter, it was once every week. You have that whole time to prepare, and you know who you are going to throw against and what their lineup usually will be. When you come out of the bullpen, you don't know who you're going to see. You have to have a bulldog-mentality when you come in out of the bullpen. When I was a starter, I would try to pace myself a little throughout the game. As a reliever, you can give it all. It's a lot different and something that took me a while to get used to, but I like it. Last year was really a change, and I feel like I made a good stride."

How did high school and junior college prepare you for Division I baseball?
"I think going to junior college, from a baseball standpoint, is probably one of the best things I could have done. I could have probably gone to a Division II school out of high school, but I wasn't prepared. I wasn't anywhere near where I am now."

What are the strengths of this year's team?
"We are better offensively this year than we were last year, but our strength lies within our pitching."

Who had the biggest influence on you as a child?
"I have two older brothers. I have been playing baseball ever since I could walk. My oldest brother was a pitcher when he was 9 or 10, and that clicked for me. That was what I wanted to do. But my dad probably had the biggest influence on me. He taught me my mechanics. We spent a lot of time in the backyard throwing to each other. I played other positions, but pitching was what I wanted to do."

What do you want to do when you are finished playing baseball?
"I am majoring in exercise science. I want to be a strength coach. I would love to do it in a university setting with a baseball or football team."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"I got married this past December. We like to do a lot of outdoor stuff. We have two dogs, and we like to get out in the woods and do some hiking and biking."

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