Date: 2/5
Position: Pitchers

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Andy Arguelles (0-1, 8.62 ERA, 13 APP, 1 GS, 16 K, 16 BB, 15.2 IP);  JoJo Booker (4-3, 4.19 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 49 K, 39 BB, 53.2 IP);  Jase Dalton (1-1, 7.36 ERA, 6 APP, 1 GS, 14 K, 8 BB, 14.2 IP);  Zach Harlan (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 6 APP, 6 K, 6 BB, 6.0 IP);  Noah Michael (0-1, 7.85 ERA, 9 APP, 1 GS, 1 SV, 11 K, 3 BB, 18.1 IP);  Drake Nightengale (6-2, 3.52 ERA, 15 APP, 12 GS, 1 SV, 91 K, 38 BB, 71.2 IP);  Tyler Perez (1-1, 3.67 ERA, 18 APP, 4 GS, 29 K, 15 BB, 34.1 IP);  Tyler Trussell (1-0, 5 K, 5 BB, 4.2 IP);  Caleb Yarborough (3-6, 5.52 ERA, 13 APP, 12 GS, 29 K, 18 BB, 45.2 IP)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  Joel Cheatwood (2-0, 7.27 ERA, 13 APP, 14 K, 8 BB, 17.1 IP);  Nick DeSantis (5-2, 4.54 ERA, 2 SV, 22 APP, 31 K, 13 BB, 33.2 IP);  Zach Greene (2-0, 1.45 ERA, 13 SV, 27 APP, 70 K, 8 BB, 49.2 IP);  Chase Lambert (2-2, 5.12 ERA, 16 APP, 30 K 18 BB, 31.2 IP);  Michael Marra (0-0, 6.75 ERA, 2 APP, 2 K, 2 BB, 2.2 IP);  Patrick McBride (3-3, 4.58 ERA, 11 APP, 8 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 20 K, 20 BB, 39.1 IP);  Hunter Phillips (0-0, 7.94 ERA, 8 APP, 6 K, 2 BB, 5.2 IP);  Jared Proctor (0-4, 7.20 ERA, 14 APP, 6 GS, 15 K, 23 BB, 30.0 IP);  

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school):  Collier Baggett (Jr., Tallahassee [Fla.] CC);  Matt Boswell (Jr., Northwest Florida State CC);  Steven Lacey (Jr., Holmes [Miss.] CC);  Tyler Lehrmann (Jr., Tallahassee [Fla.] CC);  Nate Madej (R-Jr., Florida Southwestern State CC);  Peyton Millirons (Jr., Wallace-Dothan [Ala.] CC);  Tyler Samaniego (Jr., Northeast [Miss.] CC);  Miles Smith (Jr., Pearl River [Miss.] CC);  Ryan Westerhoff (Jr., Cowley [Kan.] JC)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Nightengale was named Second-Team Preseason All-America by Collegiate Baseball, as well as the 2020 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year and Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference. The right-hander led the league in opposing batting average (.196), and ranked fourth in ERA (3.52) and strikeouts (91).
- In Sun Belt contests, Nightengale ranked 12th in the conference in strikeouts (47) and opposing batting average (.239). 
- Greene was named Second-Team All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and Third-Team All-America by D1Baseball. 
- Greene was also a First-Team All-Central Region selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings, as well as First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference after finishing the season ranked second in the conference in saves (13) while finishing 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA in 27 relief appearances. He struck out 70 batters and issued eight walks in 49 2/3 innings pitched. In 16 Sun Belt appearances in 2019, Greene went 1-0 with 11 saves and a 1.23 ERA while striking out 40 batters against four walks in 29 1/3 innings pitched.
- Nightengale went 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 49 strikeouts with seven walks in his final five starts of the season, which covered a span of 34 1/3 innings. He finished the season 6-2 with a 3.52 ERA in 15 appearances with 12 starts, and recorded 91 strikeouts against 38 walks in 71 2/3 innings. 
- Nightengale was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week three times last season:  Feb. 26, April 23 and May 20.
- Greene became the single-season saves leader at South Alabama on May 12 at Appalachian State with his 13th save of 2019, passing Kyle Bartsch (2013) and Mike Nakamura (1995) on the school's list. He finished his career with 18 saves, which ranks tied for second with Blaine Dollar (1971-74) on the program's all-time list.
- Right-handers JoJo Booker and Jase Dalton both return to the Jaguar pitching staff from arm injuries sustained in 2019.
- The Jaguars led the Sun Belt in fewest earned runs allowed (264) last season, and ranked second in fewest runs allowed (304), fewest hits allowed (485) and saves (17). The Jag staff also ranked fourth in the league in ERA (4.94).

Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the starting rotation:
"I feel good about the rotation. In terms of guys who are either starters or long relievers, it is probably the deepest we have ever been as far as quality guys who I think can go through the lineup two or three times. And returning guys with some innings – Drake (Nightengale), JoJo (Booker), (Caleb) Yarborough and (Andy) Arguelles – is a big deal; they all have experience. The key is staying healthy with those guys there and with some of the newcomers like Miles Smith, (Matt) Boswell, (Tyler) Lehrmann and (Nate) Madej – guys who can be a Swiss Army knife so to speak and go two or five innings for you. We have some depth in terms of starters and long relievers, the key is staying healthy. But I like just the returning factor – guys who have been around the block a little bit. Drake really found his stride the last five weeks of the season with five really good starts that either beat or put us in position to beat a lot of teams in this country. We're excited to have him back. Staying healthy across the board is key, but with your main guys it is crucial."

- On returners coming off of injuries:
"We have seen really good progress from JoJo and Jase (Dalton). Neither are back to full velocity yet, but they are close. JoJo was turning the corner from a pitchability standpoint last year, and had the makings of a very good year until he went down and missed the last month of the season. And it has been amazing how well Jase Dalton took to his surgery and how diligent he has been in his rehab. He is upper 80s right now, and I think he has a chance to be better after surgery when he is back 100 percent than what he was before."

- On the bullpen:
"The question mark right now is the late relievers. We brought guys in to do it, and we have capable guys. But I don't know who they are yet. We have an idea on three or four of them, but it is kind of something where we won't find out until we play someone else. When I look at our really good relievers since I have been here, very few of them did we know who they were before they pitched here. They became who they were by running out there and getting the job done. (Kyle) Bartsch, (Dylan) Stamey, (Shane) McKinley, (Ben) Taylor, (Matt) Peacock and Zach Greene – none of those guys came in as the heir apparent to the closer role. They developed into that, and became that guy for us. The key is having guys talented enough to slide into that role and get used to it, and I think we do. Who those guys are, I'm not sure yet. To me, that is the biggest question mark on our pitching staff. Which guy or guys will step up and be the guys you can lean on in those leverage innings the last third of the game to go out and get the job done."

- On returners in the bullpen:
"Noah Michael has been outstanding; he is one of the most improved pitchers over the last year-and-a-half. Tyler Perez is now mixing in both arm slots instead of being just a sidearmer. This is a staff with some returners with experience – some guys who have pitched against some really good teams both inside and outside of conference. Lack of experience won't really be a factor on this pitching staff, it will be execution of the last three innings."

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