Date: 2/11
Position: Outfielders

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Hunter Donaldson (.223 AVG, 4 2B, 6 RBIs, 14 R, 4 SB);  Bailee Hendon;  Harrison Ware (1 BB)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  Caleb Balgaard (24 R, 8 2B, 6 HR, 18 RBIs, 2 SB);  Andrew Bates (.246 AVG, 9 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBIs, 2 SB);  Drake Dobyanski (3 R);  Michael Sandle (.313 AVG, 52 R, 11 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 50 RBIs, .389 OBP, 15 SB);  Bennett Shell (6 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB);  Ethan Wilson (.318 AVG, 39 R, 13 2B, 4 3B, 8 HR, 34 RBIs, .419 OBP, 10 SB)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school):  Charles Middleton (Sr., Pacific);  Eli Runyan (Fr., Carrollton [Ga.] HS);  Miles Simington (Sr., Purdue);  Joseph Sullivan (Fr., Vestavia Hills [Ala.] HS);  Will Turner (Fr., Auburn [Ala.] HS);  

Miscellaneous Notes
- Wilson was a first-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2021.
- Sandle led the SBC in runs scored (52) and at-bats (230) last year, ranked third in RBIs (50), hits (72) and total plate appearances (264), tied for third in total bases (120), fourth in stolen bases (15), tied for sixth in home runs (11) and tied for 10th in slugging percentage (.522).
- Wilson ranked tied for first in the SBC in walks (33) and triples (4) last season, fifth in OBP (.419) and hits (68), sixth in total plate appearances (253) and tied for sixth in total bases (113).
- Simington lettered two years (2020-21) at Purdue, where he was named third-team all-Big Ten in 2021 after batting .322 with a team-best 14 doubles, five home runs, 37 RBIs, 35 runs scored, four stolen bases and .431 on-base percentage in 42 games played and started. He was also an Academic all-Big Ten honoree both years as a Boilermaker.
- Turner was named Class 7A first-team all-state by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a senior at Auburn (Ala.) High School last season and the 2021 Opelika-Auburn News Baseball Player of the Year, while helping AHS capture the 7A state championship. He batted .391 with three home runs and 25 RBIs, while also finishing 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched last year.
- Middleton lettered two years (2020-21) at Pacific, where he batted .263 with nine doubles, five home runs, 26 RBIs, 27 runs scored and one stolen base in 46 games played with 45 starts in 2021. He finished with a team-best .403 batting average, along with five doubles, four home runs, 20 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, a .494 on-base percentage and .657 slugging percentage in 17 games started and played in the 2020 Covid-shortened season. He was named the 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association Pacific Association Position Player of the Year after batting .365 with 17 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 57 RBIs, 58 runs scored, one stolen base, .466 OBP and .665 slugging percentage in 42 games at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif.
- Sullivan lettered four years in baseball and football at Vestavia Hills HS in Vestavia Hills, Ala., and batted .402 with six doubles, six triples, five home runs, 30 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 22 stolen bases and .492 on-base percentage in 31 games as a senior in 2021.

Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the freshmen outfielders:
"(Will) Turner has done a really nice job in center field. He is a natural center fielder who gets great jumps on the ball, and he has a very good arm. But he is also going to help us off the mound; he's a lefty who is up to 90 (mph) with two good breaking balls. He throws strikes, can throw his breaking ball when he wants to and is tough on left-handed hitters, and he has some poise to him on the mound; he is a little more mature than the average freshman. He is an outstanding center fielder. He gets great jumps, he's not afraid of the wall and he goes and gets balls. Joseph Sullivan can play all three outfield positions and first base. He's one of the fastest and strongest guys on the team, has some power and is not an average freshman either. Turner is working on some things with his swing. He had a very good high school career at the best high school in the state at Auburn High School. He is adjusting to college pitching and with his swing, and he will be fine; he is a good athlete. And Sullivan as well – there's a learning curve in Division I baseball. Eli Runyan is a pitcher first, but he is a heck of an outfielder who will get some reps in center field. There may be only two guys in the outfield that I wouldn't put in center field. These are guys who will help us win while they are figuring some things out."

- On graduate transfers Miles Simington and Charles Middleton:
"Miles Simington was an all-Big Ten performer last year, and that's saying something. That's a Power-5 conference where Miles hit .320 in the heart of the lineup. And he is also a pretty good outfielder who plays right and left field. Charles Middleton leads in RBIs in the fall and early spring. He hit over .400 in the Covid-shortened season, then hurt his wrist early last year but came on late against very good competition out there."

- On the returners:
"Hunter Donaldson got a bunch of reps for us last year as a freshman, and had some big games for us both offensively and defensively. He is a hard-nosed player who goes hard every day. This is the most depth we have had in the outfield. They're all very good outfielders. Some throw better than others and some are faster, but they all get really good reads, go hard and track the ball off the bat, and Donaldson is one of those guys. He knows what it's like to be on a team and help a team get into the postseason. Bailee Hendon is a good athlete who had limited playing time last year. But he has done a good job; he is physically stronger, and is much improved in the outfield. I like what we have in the outfield. We have some youth, experience and makeup out there."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com.