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College  | Story  | 1/29/2015

Conference Preview: Southland

Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Sam Houston State

Preseason College Top 25 | Preseason All-American Team | 2015 College Baseball Preview Index


For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2015 college baseball preview content, the predicted order of finish and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a College Baseball Ticket (CBT) subscription. To learn more about the College Baseball Ticket and to sign up today please visit this link.


Predicted Order of Finish

Overall/conference win-loss records from 2014 indicated | * Denotes projected conference automatic bid

No. Team W L W L
1 Sam Houston State* 43 19 22 8
2 Texas A&M CC 31 27 19 11
3 Northwestern State 32 25 19 11
4 Southeastern Louisiana 38 25 18 12
5 Central Arkansas 32 22 17 13
6 McNeese State 30 28 17 13
7 Nicholls State 32 26 21 9
8 Lamar 31 25 16 14
9 Stephen F. Austin 20 35 11 19
10 Houston Baptist 23 28 12 18
11 Incarnate Word 18 32 9 15
12 Abilene Christian 18 36 6 18
13 New Orleans 11 38 2 28


Preseason All-Conference Team

Pos. Name Class School Stats/Notes
C Brandon Provost Sr. Lamar .301-1-31; strong build with a consistent bat
1B Caleb Dugas Sr. Northwestern State .282-4-36; middle of order bat with thump
MIF Samuel Capielano So. New Orleans .341-0-19; outstanding 2014 w/ strong barrel feel
MIF Nate Ferrell Sr. Central Arkansas .309-0-31; leader on both sides of the ball
3B Chase Daughdrill Sr.  Northwestern State .324-2-38; consistent bat w/ middle of order pop
OF Jordan Lee Sr. Texas A&M CC .309-2-29; arguably most consistent player in conf.
OF Colt Atwood Sr. Sam Houston State .306-0-40; + defender & leader on both sides of ball
OF Andrew Guillote Jr.  McNeese St.  .316-0-17; moving back to CF, quality barrel feel
DH Hezekiah Randolph So. New Orleans .292-4-31; physical build w/ very strong bat
UT Curtis Jones Sr. Houston Baptist .361-0-22/3.65, 89 IP, 42:21; legit two-way talent
SP Matt Danton Sr. Texas A&M CC 3.74, 101 IP, 64:22; workhorse on the mound
SP Adam Oller  So. Northwestern State 2.44, 92.1 IP, 58:20; incredible 2014, conf. F.O.Y.
SP Geno Encina Jr. Incarnate Word 2.64, 95.1 IP, 62:15; low-90s with quality stuff
SP Sam Odom So. Sam Houston State 2.61, 79.1 IP, 38: 33; led conference w/ 10 wins
RP Ryan Brinley Jr. Sam Houston State 2.74, 42.2 IP, 36/10; eight saves in 2014, big FB

Player of the Year: Jordan Lee, OF, Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Pitcher of the Year: Geno Encina, RHP, Incarnate Word

Freshman of the Year: C.J. Moore, OF, Lamar



Top Prospects

2015

1. Jameson Fisher, c, Southeastern Louisiana
2. Logan Boyd, lhp, Sam Houston State
3. Jacob Johnson, rhp, Southeastern Louisiana
4. Grant Borne, lhp, Nicholls State
5. Bret Underwood, of, Northwestern State
6. Julian Service, of, Southeastern Louisiana
7. Jordan Lee, of, Texas A&M Corpus Christi
8. Colt Atwood, of, Sam Houston State
9. Connor Gilmore, rhp, Central Arkansas
10. Hayden Simerly, of, Sam Houston State


2016

1. Cole Stapler, rhp, Nicholls State

2. Sam Odom, rhp, Sam Houston State

3. Sam Copielano, inf, New Orleans
4. Adam Oller, rhp, Northwestern State
5. Russell Crippen, 1b/rhp, Abilene Christian

2017

1. C.J. Moore, of, Lamar
2. Kwan Adkins, of, Northwestern State
3. Bryce Johnson, of, Sam Houston State



Southland Conference Notebook


Sam Houston State: The Bearkats are coming off a strong 2014 season in which they won 43 games and look to replicate that success in 2015. Losing some key bats and arms are never easy to replace but if there is a team to do it in the conference it would be Sam Houston State. Senior lefty Andrew Godail will assume the role as the Friday night starter, as both Jason Simms and Tyler Eppler have departed, and he comes to the rotation with starting experience. Starting four games and appearing in another 13, Godail averaged nearly a strikeout per inning last spring – showing the staff’s best breaking ball – with a 2.41 ERA over 33 innings pitched. The biggest surprise for the coaching staff in the fall was the development of junior lefthander Logan Boyd who took his game to the next level and was dominant. Showing a fastball in the 89-91 mph range, Boyd commanded three pitches for strikes and will be a valuable option on Saturdays. Rounding out the rotation is sophomore Sam Odom who has the most experience and was a key arm on last year’s team. Working in a similar velocity range as Boyd, Odom returns as a 10-game winner his freshman year, showing very good command of both his curveball and above average changeup. JUCO transfer Juan Cortina is expected to make an impact out of the bullpen and bridge the gap to junior closer Ryan Brinley, who was a reliable option last spring in any situation, starting four games while closing out eight with a 2.74 ERA. Senior center fielder Colt Atwood returns with the top average from last spring (.306) and is a leader on both sides of the ball. Hitting at the top of the lineup, Atwood shows 6.6 60-yard speed, impacting his game both offensively and with his ability to go get it in the outfield. He was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts and showed very good plate discipline in fall ball. Senior left fielder Hayden Simerly will be counted on for his lefthanded power once again after hitting six home runs and returns with a team high 34 RBI while starting in 61 of their 62 games. Watch for freshman outfielder Bryce Johnson who adapted quickly to the college game and impressed during fall practice with his speed/power combo from the left side and should factor into the middle of the order immediately.  

Southeastern Louisiana: Southeastern Louisiana took a hit this fall when they lost their top hitter and highly talented catcher/outfielder Jameson Fisher for the 2015 season. Fisher led them offensively in several categories, and the Lions will also be without senior catcher Sam Roberson, who would have returned with the team high of four home runs. Despite losing those two prominent bats, senior third baseman Brett Hoffman does return after starting in 62 games last spring and finished third on the team with a .312 average. A lefthanded hitter and a consistent run producer, Hoffman will be looked at for both his offensive abilities and leadership in the infield. Serving as protection for Hoffman in the four-hole is junior Daniel Midyett, a switch-hitter who finished tied for the fourth best average of .296, and he also shows speed that plays well, picking up six extra-base hits and with six stolen bases. Leadoff hitter Jacob Seward returns to his place at the top of the order after hitting .287 last year as a freshman and will once again set the tempo of the offense after stealing 12 bases. Sophomore Kennon Menard will be playing up the middle again and will help lead the defense. A righthanded hitter, Menard is coming off a freshman season in which he hit .283 with a home run and 28 RBI. A JUCO transfer to keep an eye on who should make an immediate impact is right fielder Julian Service, a 6-foot-3 highly athletic player with plenty of tools, and who has been drafted each of the past three years. Righthander Tate Scioneaux will once again assume the place of staff ace, returning with 110 innings and a 3.02 ERA. Scioneaux features a fastball that runs into the low-90s and shows very good pitchability, striking out 77 batters while walking only 20. With over 200 innnigs to replace from last spring, the Lions will look to JUCO transfer Jake Johnson who comes in from Neosho County CC. Standing 6-foot-2, Johnson shows an upper-80s to low-90s fastball with plenty of run as well as a nice slider/changeup combo, allowing him to factor into the Saturday slot. Rounding out the rotation is junior lefty Kyle Cedotal who has begun to focus more on pitching after serving as a two-way player to this point. With the attention mostly on pitching, Cedotal has seen his velocity begin to increase and looks to build off a strong 2014 in which he went 3-3 with a 2.14 ERA. Kyle Keller shows some of the best overall stuff on the staff and will be a valuable factor, as will junior Pat Cashman, who can impact the staff in a variety of roles and will see a lot of time on the mound. Anchoring the bullpen again will be Mason Klotz who returns with experience in that role, saving five games with a minuscule 1.32 ERA.


Abilene Christian: After joining the Southland Conference in 2014, Abilene Christian returns several key pieces from last season’s team and look to those players for their experience and skill. Replacing their top three hitters won’t be an easy task, but sophomore Aaron Draper returns after a strong freshman year in which he hit .309 with 29 RBI and will be a key part of the offense in 2015. The lone player to start all 54 games in 2014 was then junior, now senior outfielder Tyler Eager who has been a consistent part of the Wildcats offense over the first three years of his career. Hitting .294 last spring, Eager had an on-base percentage of nearly .400 with 10 extra-base hits, second on the team. Senior Colton Hall had a successful first season at Abilene Christian and looks to build upon it, hitting .265 over 44 games while playing solid defense in the outfield. With four new catchers on the roster, JUCO transfer Alex Copeland joins the Wildcats with the most collegiate experience, transferring from Fort Scott CC where he hit .330 last year with three home runs while showing polished actions behind the plate. Two-way talent Russell Crippen returns as the team's top power threat, hitting three home runs in 2014, which was second best on the team. He also threw fifteen innings on the mound, including three starts posting a 4.20 ERA. Junior righthander Garrett deMeyere was a reliable starter last spring for the coaching staff, starting a team high 16 games while throwing 88.2 innings to finish with a 5-8 record. Sophomore lefthander Austin Lambright and junior righthander Nate Cole return with the most starting experience from last spring, combining for 14 starts, and should factor into the rotation again this year. A transfer from San Jacinto, watch for power armed righty Bryce Welborn, a highly touted arm coming out of high school who was up to 94 mph at Perfect Game events while in high school. He should be one of many options the coaches have to bridge the gap to closer Kevin Sheets who returns to the position after making 23 appearances last year while recording three saves. 

New Orleans: With a bevy of offensive players returning from the 2014 edition, the Privateers look to build off their .241 team batting average and have a couple of preseason all-conference pieces to help. Sophomore shortstop Samuel Capielano is coming off an extraordinary freshman season in which he garnered Third Team All-Southland. The lone player to start all 49 games, Capielano set the tempo on offense with a .341 batting average, eighth best throughout the conference, and also led the team in on-base percentage (.374), hits (70), and runs (28). All of those factors will be key again for New Orleans, and if Capielano continues to get on base at a high clip, there’s a good chance sophomore Hezekiah Randolph will frequently drive him in. Like Capielano, Randolph is coming off an eye-opening freshman year, hitting .292 while providing a much needed thumper in the middle of the order, hitting a team-high four home runs with 31 RBI. Senior first/third baseman Jonathan Coco will provide leadership on a young New Orleans team and has been a consistent bat throughout his first three years, finishing last year with a .272 average with two triples and was 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. Unlike other teams in the conference, the Privateers do not need to replace a ton of innings as they return several key arms. Senior Alex Smith will once again be a leader on the mound after throwing a team-high 89 innings, making 15 starts. Darron McKigney and Nick Halliday also return from the 2014 rotation, combining for more than 130 innings with 22 starts between them. Sophomore lefty Hunter Medine provided some quality innings out of the bullpen last spring and could be ready to make a jump, but should he stay in the 'pen he will lead the way to senior closer Seth Laigast. A righthanded pitcher, Laigast was a valuable arm making 21 appearances in 2014 with a 4.62 ERA and three saves. 

Central Arkansas: The Bears are looking to improve off last season’s mark of 32-22 and have a lineup to do so, led by senior shortstop Nate Ferrell, a defensive stalwart who had a strong first year in 2014 after transferring from Darton State. Starting in 48 games, Ferrell paid immediate dividends with the bat hitting .309 with 31 RBI, 11 doubles, and was second on the team with a .402 on-base percentage. JUCO transfer Braxton Phillips is an outfielder the coaching staff is hoping can replicate Ferrell’s success in his first year with the team, coming in from Butte CC (Calif.) where he hit .357 with five home runs and 33 RBI. Junior infielder Chris Townsend returns after playing near flawless defense, finishing with a .281 average while leading the team with 41 RBI. Junior outfielder Tyler Langley is a middle-of-the-order bat that will be counted on heavily this spring as he returns with team highs in home runs (4), triples (4), and doubles (14). Junior righthander Connor Gilmore followed up a strong freshman season with a fantastic sophomore campaign in which he went 7-3 over 102 2/3 innings spanning 14 starts with a 2.98 ERA. He will be looked at as staff ace and will once again be joined by senior Chris Caudle who went 7-4 while logging 92 innings with a 3.82 ERA. Bo Stitch and Josh Markel were two valuable and reliable pieces out of the bullpen and will be anchors in the 2015 bullpen. Senior Connor McClain is a versatile arm who started five games last year and appeared in another 11, going 4-2 with four saves over 50 innings. 

Northwestern State: Coming off a 2014 season in which the Demons finished third in the Southland Conference and a collective win total of 36, there is good reason to expect even bigger things are in store for Northwestern State in 2015. Returning seven of their top eight hitters, all of whom are everyday regulars, is one reason for optimism and the other is that the entire starting rotation returns as well. Senior third baseman Chase Daughdrill put together one of the best seasons in the conference, hitting .324 with 12 extra-base hits – including two home runs – and a team high 38 RBI while starting in all 59 games. Joining Daughdrill in the middle of the order will be junior catcher Cort Brinson who put together a solid season of his own with a .297 mark, three home runs, 27 RBI and a team high .418 slugging percentage. The Demons are happy to get Bret Underwood, a lefthanded hitting outfielder, back on campus after being selected in the 20th round last June by the San Francisco Giants. A true leadoff type, Underwood shows easy speed, evidenced by his team high six triples and 18 stolen bases, while hitting .289 and showing tools that play well at the next level. Senior first baseman Caleb Dugas returns with the top power from last season and rounds out a formidable threat in the middle of the Demons’ order. Hitting .282 last spring, Dugas led the team in long balls with four and finished second in RBI with 36 while playing in all 59 games. Nick Heath and his speed will once again be a factor, swiping 17 bags, and both C.J. Webster and Reagan Kaufman return after playing significantly last spring while showing strength in their swings. Along with returning talent, Northwestern State welcomes in freshman outfielder Kwan Adkins who showed solid tools in high school and will look to make an impact quickly. It’s safe to say righty Adam Oller had a good freshman year as he went 6-2 with a 2.44 ERA over 92 innings while showing strong command of his repertoire and the strike zone en route to winning Freshman of the Year in the conference. Joining him in the rotation is older brother Josh who returns after going 3-2 over 10 starts and 57 innings. Rounding out the rotation again is Austin Tanner, a lefthander that also made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2014 by going 2-1 with a 4.28 ERA, and like both Oller’s, showed good feel for the strike zone. With several bullpen arms having departed, senior Brandon Smith will play a big role once again as he saved two games last spring, making 22 appearances with a 3.50 ERA.

Lamar: Lamar has done well over the last couple of years and could be a team that finishes a few spots higher then the preseason projection. It will be hard to replace their top two hitters in Sam Bumpers and Jude Vidrine, but they bring bat several other bats and also have some newcomers who should make an immediate impact. Senior first baseman Brandon Provost is the top returning hitter and will slide into the three-hole after hitting .301 last spring with a home run and 31 RBI. Senior second baseman Reed Seeley will play a big role this spring offensively, sliding in behind Provost in the lineup after hitting .283 last year with a home run and the top returning on-base percentage of .417. Jacoby Middleton swings a big bat from the right side and will be another key factor to the offense in 2015. JUCO transfer shortstop Stijn van derMeer hit .385 last spring with four home runs at Eastern Oklahoma State College, but it was his defensive abilities and soft hands that really impressed the Lamar coaches in the fall. Like van derMeer, freshman center fielder C.J. Moore is expected to make an immediate impact given his athletic abilities. A 13th round pick last June by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Moore – a very good two-sport athlete in high school – already has experience with collegiate pitching as he played and starred in the Atlantic League last summer, hitting .321, and his plus speed will play just fine at the top of the order. The Cardinals will look to JUCO transfer Billy Love to take the ball on Friday nights after impressing during fall practice, and he comes in with starting experience, logging 53 2/3 innings last spring at Seminole State with a 5-2 record. Senior lefty Chase Angelle will serves as the leader of the staff and returns after throwing a team high 98 1/3 innings while sporting a team low 3.57 ERA. Another experienced arm from last year’s rotation rounds out the weekend staff in Will Hibbs, who went 5-3 with a 3.92 ERA while showing a strong feel for the strike zone. With a slew of relievers returning as well, junior Collin Chapman will be handed the ball in the ninth inning after impressing last fall with a big fastball and feel for his secondaries. 

Texas A&M Corpus Christi: A traditionally strong program, the 2015 season should be no different for the Islanders as they return an all-senior outfield, who are also the top three returning hitters. Jordan Lee has been as consistent as they come and shoulder continue to develop his all-around game after hitting .309 last spring with two home runs and 29 RBI, once again serving as a middle-of-the-order threat. Tyler Ware, like Lee, started all 57 games last spring and will also be a power bat the coaching staff will rely on after finishing tied for the team lead with three home runs while driving in in 33 runs with six triples and six doubles. Rounding out the outfield is Kyle Danford, yet another valuable piece to the offense as he hit .289 and drove in a team high 35 runs. Zacarias Hardy gave a glimpse of what he was capable of with the bat as a freshman, hitting .290 over 33 games. Senior first baseman Frankie Salas also returns, showing solid discipline at the plate to go along with a .272 average. Senior righthander Matt Danton will lead the rotation once again after coming off a season in which he was named Second Team All-Conference. Standing 6-foot-3, Danton threw 101 innings in 2014 going 7-4 with a 3.74 ERA and an impressive 64-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Along with Danton the Islanders return senior Trevor Belicek and sophomore Devin Skapura, giving them the same rotation from 2014. Belicek struck out 80 batters over 95 innings while Skapura posted solid numbers as a freshman. Both Kaleb Keith and Kevin Landgrebe will be valuable arms out of the bullpen again and pave the way to senior closer Jacob Dorris, who collected eight saves over 47 innings. Watch for the Islanders throughout the spring as they have impact veteran leadership all over the field and lead a balanced attack on both sides of the ball. 

Incarnate Word: The Cardinals look to take the next step forward after having a good amount of first-year players in the lineup last year. Though those players performed well, they return with a year's worth of experience and are ready to take the next step forward as a team. Leading the way offensively once again is outfielder Jesse Hoover, a transfer from the University of Houston who made an immediate impact at Incarnate Word last year. Hitting .309, Hoover added 16 doubles, two home runs, and led the team with 36 RBI and was the only Cardinal to start all 50 games. Another key piece to the offense is sophomore Mark Whitehead who hit .266 as a freshman and put his speed on display, stealing a team high 11 bases and also had 11 extra-base hits. Lefthanded hitting first baseman Ethan McGill shows strength in his swing – the only other player to hit a home run – and is ready for a big season after missing 18 games in 2014. The pitching staff however will have to replace two arms from the rotation, though junior ace Geno Encina and his low-90s fastball provide a big boost. Encina put a fabulous 2014 season together, going 7-7 with a 2.64 ERA with a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio while limiting hitters to a .250 opposing average. Sophomore Cody Richey started five games last spring and made another 11 appearances going 3-3 and is a solid candidate to start this spring. 6-foot-2 JUCO transfer lefty Garrett Cooper comes to the Cardinals after earning all-conference honors at Angelina and is one of several new arms looking to make an impact. Matthew Decker was a valuable and relied upon arm out of the bullpen last spring, making 24 appearances before turning the ball over to closer Kris Looper, who returns to the spot after saving three games. 

Stephen F. Austin: Stephen F. Austin will have to rely on returning talent and several newcomers to make up for the loss of their top four hitters from 2014, which includes First Team All-Conference selection Mackenzie Hendel, who powered the offense with 10 home runs and 43 RBI. Junior outfielder Matthew Dickey returns with the best average at .269, though it’s his speed that really stands out with his team high 12 stolen bases and near flawless defense in the outfield. He and sophomore Nick Ramos, who is coming off a strong freshman campaign hitting .263 as an everyday regular, will set the table for junior Kyle Thornell in the middle of the order. A transfer last spring, Thornell came out swinging and will be relied upon to supply power after hitting six home runs and three triples – tied with Ramos for the team lead – and drove in 30 runs while slugging .496. The pitching staff will once again be led by senior lefthander Dillon Mangham who proved to be one of the most consistent arms in the conference. Throwing a total of 86 innings, Mangham went 6-5 with a 2.83 ERA and showed the ability to command the strike zone with swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 70 batters while walking only 22. Senior righty Cameron Gaan also returns to the rotation after going 5-1 in 11 starts while racking up 68 1/3 innings on the mound. A good portion of the remaining staff is new to the program with six freshmen arms and another three transferring in. Six-foot-2 senior righthander Taylor Wiedenfeld will once again be at the back of the bullpen and did a nice job last spring closing out five games with a 3.57 ERA over 40 1/3 innings of work. 

Houston Baptist: The Huskies welcome back senior Curtis Jones, a selection for the preseason all-conference team, back with open arms and for good reason. Not only was Jones their top hitter in 2014, hitting an astounding .361 with 22 RBI while playing in all 51 games, he also served as a member of the weekend rotation. Logging a team high 89 innings, Jones went 4-5 with a 3.64 ERA and a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Though the staff did lose Ryan Lower, they do welcome back Taylor Wright who started 13 games in the weekend rotation, throwing 75 2/3 innings. Another one of the Huskies’ top returning hitters, senior designated hitter and infielder Josh Martinez, was also one of their top arms out of the bullpen, working 23 innings with a 2-0 record, two saves and a 1.90 ERA. Junior Matthew McCollough and senior Ross Kennell both come back with several starts last year and provide the coaching staff with several options to round out the weekend rotation. Junior closer Dylan Zarosky appeared in a team high 19 games and will once again serve in the same role after collecting six saves.  Along with Jones and Martinez – who hit .332 with eight extra-base hits – Houston Baptist also returns senior outfielder Thomas Clay, who shows some strength from the right side along with speed on the bases, stealing 14 bases in 2014. Senior Zach Nehrir had a strong first season with the Huskies as an everyday regular bringing in 23 runs while swiping eight bases of his own. Senior catcher Samm Wiggins has been a consistent presence behind the plate for the last three years, hitting .273 last year with six doubles and two triples while handling the staff well defensively. 

Nicholls State: With some of their top bats departing from last spring, the Colonels are going to potentially rely on three freshmen and two transfers in their starting nine this year. Playing in all 55 games last spring, outfielder David Zorn and catcher Christian Correa return with the top two averages from the 2014 season. Correa ended the season on a high note offensively and rode the momentum into the summer while still showing top-notch catch-and-throw skills behind the plate. Joining Correa in the middle of the lineup is Seth Stevens, a lefthanded hitting first baseman who hit .282 last spring in 39 games with six doubles and a triple and showed some of the best hitting tools on the team during fall practice. The Colonels are going to have a freshman double-play combo with Blaine Schexnayder, who shows athleticism at second and gap strength with the bat, and shortstop Joey Morales, who made a strong impression during the fall showing one of the stronger arms across the diamond. Hopes are freshman center fielder Gavin Wehby will slide right in to the top of the order with his blazing speed and advanced judgment of the strike zone and continue with what he showed last fall. Two other JUCO transfer to watch who are highly athletic and have strength in their bats are Alex Shermer, an outfielder, and third baseman Kyle Reese. Unlike the offense, the pitching staff returns a bevy of good arms and will have a starting rotation full of experience. Lefthander Grant Borne is the lone returner from last season’s rotation and went 8-3 with a 2.97 ERA over 100 innings, striking out 81 while walking 35. With a long, projectable frame, Borne features a fastball in the upper-80s to low-90s and shows a strong feel for his changeup with the ability to spin two different breaking pitches. Marc Frazier, a two-way player who will also spend time at first and designated-hitter, will assume the Saturday starting role. Frazier features the biggest fastball on the staff, working in the low-90s with an above average slider and looks to transition into the rotation after a strong fall. Senior righthander Ryan Deemes returns after making 12 starts last spring, accruing a 3.63 ERA over 52 innings. Sophomore Cole Stapler, arguably the top 2016 prospect in the conference, gives them quality depth on the mound featuring a fastball that climbs into the low-90s and a feel for his off-speed pitches. Stuart Holmes split time last year with Marc Picciola as the closer and will have the spot to himself this year after closing out four games in 2014 with a 2.53 ERA over 24 appearances. Given the talented depth of pitching don't be surprised if Nicholls State ends up as one of the top teams in the conference.

McNeese State: The Cowboys, who went 30-28 last year, lost some big bats but hope to replace them with JUCO transfers and previous players on the roster who will play a bigger role this spring. Leading the way is senior outfielder Andrew Guillotte, a First Team All-Conference selection last year as a second baseman, who will head back to his natural position of center field this year. With perhaps the best overall hit tool on the team and top speed, Guillotte returns after hitting .316 and stealing a team high 20 bases at the top of the order. Like Guillotte, designated hitter and first baseman Billy Sommers returns and shows a strong handle for the barrel of the bat and will be an impact presence for the Cowboys this spring. Two JUCO transfers Connor Crane (Lamar CC) and Kris Molter (Cowley County) are going to be relied upon in the middle of the order as both have shown power potential at the collegiate level. Molter was as good of a defender as the team had during fall practice with a strong arm across the diamond, and like Crane, shows very good power in the heart of the order. Catcher Cameron Toole continues to make strides offensively, hitting two home runs last spring, but really impresses with his defensive abilities behind the plate. Lucas Quary looks to be another impact bat after hitting a team high seven home runs last year.  The pitching staff welcomes back ace righthander Kaleb Fontenot, who has the coaching staff even more excited for this spring with the development he made this fall. Working in the upper-80s to low-90s, Fontenot went 6-2 with a 2.14 ERA and struck out 49 batters in 80 innings. Bryce Kingsley also returns to the staff after starting 16 games, and JUCO transfer Ethan Stremmel rounds out the rotation after transferring in from Galveston CC with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball with sinking life and a slider. Cole Prejean and Cory Lapeze are two valuable arms who can pitch in any situation with Lapeze showing the most swing-and-miss stuff on the mound and a big fastball. Like the two previously mentioned names, Steve O’Bryant is a valuable bullpen arm both as a closer – finishing last spring with five saves – and as an option for long relief.
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