• 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference •
• 2020 Collegiate Baseball Second-Team Preseason All-America •
• 2020 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year •
2019 (Junior): Led the Sun Belt Conference in opposing batting average (.196), and ranked fourth in ERA (3.52) and strikeouts (91) ... Ranked 12th in the league in strikeouts (47) and opposing batting average (.239) in Sun Belt contests ... Finished 6-2 with a 3.52 ERA and one save in 15 appearances with 12 starts in 2019 ... Recorded 91 strikeouts against 38 walks in 71 2/3 innings pitched ... 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 ... Named the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week three times - Feb. 26, April 23 and May 20 ... Tossed 4 1/3 innings and struck out six at Clemson (Feb. 15) in his Jaguar debut ... Recorded his first career save with three rerlief innings against Alabama State (Feb. 19) ... Struck out a then career-high nine batters in five shutout innings against Tennessee Tech (Feb. 23) to earn his first career win ... Recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings against Southern Miss (April 16) ... Struck out 11 in a career-high 7 2/3 innings pitched against Troy (May 16) in his final outing of the season.
Junior College: Lettered two seasons at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss. ... Finished 4-0 with a 4.25 ERA in 13 appearances with three starts as a sophomore in 2018 ... Struck out 57 batters and issued 23 walks in 42 1/3 innings pitched ... Went 4-3 in 12 appearances with four starts as a freshman … Finished 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA in seven appearances, including two starts, as a freshman … Recorded 56 strikeouts and issued 12 walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched ... Helped lead the Wildcats to a 2018 state championship.
High School: Lettered in baseball at Sumrall High School in Sumrall, Miss. ... Tossed a complete game in the state championship game to lead the Bobcats to the 2015 state title ... Posted a 0.20 ERA ... Named the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A Player of the Year as a senior.
Personal: Full name is Thayer Drake Nightengale ... The youngest of four children to Jim and Sharon Nightengale ... Hobbies include playing golf and bow hunting ... Favorite movie is “Toy Story” ... Favorite pro sports team is the Boston Red Sox ... Favorite athlete is Jacob deGrom ... Lists Johnny Cash as his favorite musical artist ... Majoring in education.
