Date: 2/27
Position: Infielders

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Meredith Keel, Sr. (52-52 GP-GS, .365 avg, 54 hits, 21 runs, 8 2Bs, 1 3B, 13 RBI, 5 SBs, .432 SLG%); Belle Wolfenden, Sr. (51-50 GP-GS, .236 avg, 26 hits, 17 runs, 5 2Bs, 1 3B, 4 HRs, 17 RBI, 23 BBs, 11 SH, .409 SLG%); Kamdyn Kvistad, Sr. (47-43 GP-GS, .248 avg, 31 hits, 28 runs, 8 2Bs, 10 HRs, 27 RBI, 69 total bases, .552 SLG%); Kennedy Cronan, Sr. (50-47 GP-GS, .234 avg, 33 hits, 11 runs, 13 2Bs, 4 HRs, 33 RBI, 23 BB, .411 SLG%); Abby Allen, So. (30-24 GP-GS, .213 avg, 13 hits, 9 runs, 2 2Bs, 3 HRs, 7 RBI)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Abby Krzywiecki (41-40 GP-GS, .263 avg, 31 hits, 15 runs, 4 2Bs, 9 HRs, 30 RBI, .525 SLG%); Jordyn Calderon (31-3 GP-GS, 2 hits, 8 runs); Camryn McLemore (27-5 GP-GS, 6 hits, 6 RBI); Holly Stewart (12-6 GP-GS, 3 hits, 1 RBI)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): Odalys Cordova, Jr. (Orlando, Fla.); Gabby Stagner, Fr. (Mobile, Ala.); Shelby Garrett Fr. (Frostproof, Fla.)

Miscellaneous Notes
- In her first season with the program, Keel started all 52 games at third for the Jaguars where she led the team at the plate with a .365 overall batting average and a .429 average in conference play. She had a team-best 54 hits with 24 of those coming against league foes.
- Keel ranked among the SBC leaders in hits (10th), batting average (eighth) and sacrifice hits (T-seventh). She was 10-for-32 (.313) with runners in scoring position, and hit .571 with runners on third and less than two outs, .364 (16-for-44) in two-out situations and was successful in advancing runners 55.2 percent of the time.
- Wolfenden started 50 games – all at second base – and competed in 51 of USA's 52. She had five doubles, four home runs and a triple. All four of her home runs came on the road.
- She tied with two other players for sixth in walks (23) in the Sun Belt, and led the league in sacrifice hits with 11, which were tied for third-most in a single-season at South Alabama.
- Kvistad is one of two players on the Jaguar roster who return for their "Super Senior" season. Nine of Kvistad's 43 starts came at first base last season while she also saw time in the catcher and designated player roles. 
- Kvistad enters the 2022 season tied with two other players for the career leader mark in home runs with 28 after hitting 11 home runs a year ago. 
- Cronan led the team and was tied for sixth in the Sun Belt in doubles with 13, after recording 12 combined over the previous two seasons. 
- The Daphne, Ala., native tied with two other players for sixth in walks (23) in the Sun Belt, and paced the Jags in RBI with 33, marking the second time in her career that she has led the club in the category    .
- Allen – the program's 2021 "Extra Mile" Award recipient – could see time either on the infield or at the designated player position.
- South will have to replace the production by Krzywiecki, who started 40 games with a majority of those starts coming at first. She was second on the club with nine home runs and drove in 30.
- The program welcomes three newcomers in the infield this spring, highlighted by Odalys Cordova who earned first-team NJCAA All-American honors after batting.480 with 82 hits, 64 runs scored, 20 doubles, 20 home runs and 100 RBI.
- Garrett batted .405 during her prep career and accumulated 83 hits, six home runs, 40 stolen bases and a .518 OBP. She ended her prep career holding the single-season marks in RBI (36), fielding percentage (.997), doubles (12) and batting average (.477) at Frostproof High School.
- Stagner compiled a .432 career batting average and a .747 slugging percentage, in addition recording 44 home runs and 176 RBI. She scored 116 runs and recorded 32 doubles and eight triples during her career.
- The Mobile, Ala., native ranked No. 98 on Extra Innings Softball's 2021 Extra Elite 100 list.

Head coach Becky Clark
-On having the stability of Meredith Keel at third both from an offensive and defensive standpoint: 
"Mere was a big addition for us last year and helped solidify the left side of the infield as well as lead our offense in average. I think one of her biggest strengths is her consistency; she shows up the same way mentally every day. I think a key for her is to just continue to play ball. Sometimes when you have a great year like she did last year you come in thinking you have to top that and have an even better year. We need her to just continue with her consistent mental and physical effort and allow last year's experience to help her settle in even more and continue to play with confidence."
-On the expectations of the middle of the infield with returning experience: 
"We have more depth this year in our middle infield than we have ever had and I anticipate that being one of our bigger strengths. We have a lot of experience and ability in our middle, and all of those players bring big things to the table from an offensive standpoint. There are no 'off days' for those guys because they will all push each other to compete every day. I know we will have multiple options to run out there and each one of those options has the ability to get a job done."
-On how you see the battle at first playing out: 
"Similar to our middle infield, we have more depth at first base than we have ever had. There is a lot of potential offense over there and I am going to have multiple options and will have to find ways to get some really big bats into the lineup. I anticipate the first base position trading in and out some with the designated player spot, and I think you could potentially see some platooning and pinch hitting coming from that spot as well."
-On the overall offensive production that this part of the lineup is capable of: 
"When you look position by position, this infield is one of the deepest we have ever had, both from an offensive and defensive standpoint. They all have the ability to hit for average and power. I am excited for them and the program because it is all starting to come together for them. When you take the experiences from last year and partner that with their overall ability and mentality, you get a really great result. These next two weeks will be big for us as we continue to push forward and get ready for opening day but I am encouraged by what I have seen so far out of our infield."

Senior Meredith Keel
-On what she's done to put herself in position to build on her performance last spring: 
"Over the offseason I've focused more on my consistency at the plate. I've tried to transition to having more of a power approach, rather than just hitting singles. What I was able to last season I feel will help me with my consistency at the plate, especially with runners on base. A big goal for me is to be able to move runners and put people in scoring position."
-On how the momentum gained from last season has helped the team heading into this season: 
"The way we ended last season gave us a little bit of a taste of what we've all been wanting and what we've been working for. Last year's momentum definitely pushed us more this past fall with what we want and where we want to be as a team. I feel it's given us a little bit of an edge heading into this year."
-On the depth the infield unit has due to the mix of experience young talent: 
"Our depth not only on the infield, but in the outfield and across the rest of the lineup is going to be of our greatest strengths this season. Having depth will be a good thing for us because it provides the opportunity for our line up to be very powerful, while also giving us the ability to put people in at different spots and in different situations. The depth will really help us throughout the season."
-On the importance of good infield defense and the role chemistry plays: 
"Having great pitching is obviously a big deal, but having a great defense behind your pitcher is an even bigger deal. She puts all of her trust into her defense that they will have her back. She is then able to go out there and be completely focused on what she has to do and not have to worry about the defense behind her."

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