# 2021 South Alabama Jaguars baseball team

The 2021 South Alabama Jaguars baseball team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Jaguars played their home games at Eddie Stanky Field and were led by tenth-year head coach Mark Calvi. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

## Preseason
### Signing Day Recruits

| Player | Hometown | Previous Team |
| Pitchers |||
| Justin Barry-Smith | The Woodlands, Texas | The Woodlands HS |
| Eli Copenhaver | Birmingham, Alabama | Spain Park HS |
| Brock Hill | Chelsea, Alabama | Chelsea HS |
| Eli Runyan | Bowden, Georgia | Carrollton HS |
| Zach Bale | Niceville, Florida | Niceville Senior HS |
| Hitters |||
| Brennon McNair | Magee, Mississippi | Magee HS |
| Zeke Bishop | Florence, Alabama | Florence HS |
| Will Turner | Auburn, Alabama | Auburn HS |
| Joseph Sullivan | Birmingham, Alabama | Vestavia Hills HS |

### Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 15, 2021 and the Jaguars were picked to finish second in the East Division with 51 votes.
Coaches poll (East) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Coastal Carolina | 69 (10) |
| 2 | South Alabama | 51 (1) |
| 3 | Georgia Southern | 51 (1) |
| 4 | Troy | 44 |
| 5 | Appalachian State | 21 |
| 6 | Georgia State | 16 |

### Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Honors

* Aaron Funk (LR, Pitcher)
* Jordan Jackson (GASO, Pitcher)
* Conor Angel (LA, Pitcher)
* Wyatt Divis (UTA, Pitcher)
* Lance Johnson (TROY, Pitcher)
* Caleb Bartolero (TROY, Catcher)
* William Sullivan (TROY, 1st Base)
* Luke Drumheller (APP, 2nd Base)
* Drew Frederic (TROY, Shortstop)
* Cooper Weiss (CCU, 3rd Base)
* Ethan Wilson (USA, Outfielder)
* Parker Chavers (CCU, Outfielder)
* Rigsby Mosley (TROY, Outfielder)
* Eilan Merejo (GSU, Designated Hitter)
* Andrew Beesly (ULM, Utility)

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | South Alabama win |
| | South Alabama loss |
| | Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions |
| Bold | South Alabama team member |
2021 South Alabama Jaguars baseball game log :
Regular season (29-20) :
February (4-3) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record |
| Feb. 19 | Southeast Missouri State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-4 | Dodd (1-0) | Arguelles (0-1) | None | 665 | 0-1 |
| Feb. 20 | Southeast Missouri State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 6-5 | Samaniego (1-0) | Cisneros (0-1) | Brougham (1) | 751 | 1-1 |
| Feb. 21 | Southeast Missouri State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 6-8 | Cisneros (1-0) | Michael (0-1) | None | 785 | 1-2 |
| Feb. 23 | Southern Miss | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 5-3 | Lee (0-1) | Hall (0-1) | Samaniego (1) | 850 | 2-2 |
| Feb. 26 | at Oral Roberts | J. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK | W 7-1 | Lehrmann (1-0) | Notary (0-1) | Arguelles (1) | 565 | 3-2 |
| Feb. 27 | at Oral Roberts | J. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK | W 4-3 | Dalton (1-0) | Scoggins (0-1) | Samaniego (1) | | 4-2 |
| Feb. 27 | at Oral Roberts | J. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK | L 2-9 | Kowalski (1-0) | Millirons (0-1) | None | 622 | 4-3 |
March (9-7) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Mar. 3 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | W 5-0 | Boyd (2-1) | Erbe (0-1) | None | | 195 | 5-3 | |
| Mar. 5 | Middle Tennessee | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 5-4 | Dalton (2-0) | Cheeley (0-1) | None | | 731 | 6-3 | |
| Mar. 6 | Middle Tennessee | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-8 | Link (1-0) | Arguelles (0-2) | None | | 687 | 6-4 | |
| Mar. 7 | Middle Tennessee | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-4 | Zoz (2-0) | Boyd (1-1) | Siebert (1) | | 598 | 6-5 | |
| Mar. 9 | at Alabama | Sewell–Thomas Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | L 8-11 | Lee (3-0) | Dalton (2-1) | None | | 1,764 | 6-6 | |
| Mar. 12 | Jacksonville State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-11 | Edwards (2-1) | Lee (1-1) | Woods (2) | | 684 | 6-7 | |
| Mar. 13 | Jacksonville State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-8 | Hathcock (2-1) | Lehrmann (1-1) | None | | 751 | 6-8 | |
| Mar. 14 | Jacksonville State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 7-5 | Dalton (3-1) | Tavel (0-1) | None | | | 7-8 | |
| Mar. 16 | Southern Miss | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 8-2 | Boswell (1-0) | Boyd (1-2) | None | | 850 | 8-8 | |
| Mar. 19 | at UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | L 2-3 | Wong (1-0) | Dalton (3-2) | None | | 314 | 8-9 | 0-1 |
| Mar. 20 | at UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | W 6-4 | Smith (1-0) | Norris (1-2) | Samaniego (3) | | 314 | 9-9 | 1-1 |
| Mar. 21 | at UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | W 6-3 | Booker (1-0) | Moffat (2-1) | Dalton (1) | | 314 | 10-9 | 2-1 |
| Mar. 23 | vs. Auburn | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed |
| Mar. 24 | Southern | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed | Game Postponed |
| Mar. 26 | at Northwestern State | H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA | W 8-6 | Smith (2-0) | Makarewich (1-2) | None | | 491 | 11-9 | |
| Mar. 27 | at Northwestern State | H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA | W 6-5 | Dalton (4-2) | Davis (1-2) | Samaniego (4) | | 434 | 12-9 | |
| Mar. 28 | at Northwestern State | H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA | W 12-1 | Booker (2-0) | Graham (0-1) | None | | 520 | 13-9 | |
| Mar. 30 | at LSU | Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA | L 1-11 | Hellmers (5-1) | Lehrmann (1-2) | None | | 3,431 | 13-10 | |
April (12-3) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Apr. 1 | Troy | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 6-0 | Lee (2-1) | Witcher (3-2) | Smith (1) | | 787 | 14-10 | 3-1 |
| Apr. 2 | Troy | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 6-3 | Boswell (2-0) | Wilkinson (0-2) | None | | 812 | 15-10 | 4-1 |
| Apr. 3 | Troy | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 8-0 | Booker (3-0) | Gainous (4-2) | Dalton (2) | | 847 | 16-10 | 5-1 |
| Apr. 9 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 3-7 | Arnold (4-3) | Lee (2-2) | Barkley (3) | | 204 | 16-11 | 5-2 |
| Apr. 10 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 2-4 | Funk (1-3) | Boswell (2-1) | Barkley (4) | | 432 | 16-12 | 5-3 |
| Apr. 11 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 8-9 | Hunt (1-1) | Samaniego (1-1) | None | | 436 | 16-13 | 5-4 |
| Apr. 13 | at Southern Miss | Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS | W 4-0 | Lehrmann (2-2) | Shepard (0-1) | None | | | 17-13 | |
| Apr. 18 | Louisiana | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 4-1 | Lee (3-2) | Arrighetti (6-2) | Smith (2) | ESPN+ | 811 | 18-13 | 6-4 |
| Apr. 19 | Louisiana | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 3-2 | Boyd (2-1) | Talley (0-1) | Samaniego (5) | ESPN+ | 648 | 19-13 | 7-4 |
| Apr. 19 | Louisiana | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 8-2 | Booker (4-0) | Durke (2-3) | None | ESPN+ | 648 | 20-13 | 8-4 |
| Apr. 21 | Southern | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 5-0 | Lehrmann (3-2) | Davis (0-3) | None | | 814 | 21-13 | |
| Apr. 23 | Georgia State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 4-2 | Smith (3-0) | Jones (0-6) | Lee (1) | | 839 | 22-13 | 9-4 |
| Apr. 25 | Georgia State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 5-1 | Boyd (3-1) | Horton (0-2) | None | | 850 | 23-13 | 10-4 |
| Apr. 25 | Georgia State | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 4-2 | Booker (5-0) | Matela (0-6) | Samaniego (6) | | 850 | 24-13 | 11-4 |
| Apr. 30 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 12-5 | Smith (4-0) | Harris (1-2) | None | | 769 | 25-13 | 12-4 |
May (4–7) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| May 1 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 2-11 | Thompson (5-0) | Boswell (2-2) | None | 673 | 25-14 | 12-5 |
| May 2 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 6-7 | Thompson (6-0) | Dalton (4-3) | Jones (13) | 639 | 25-15 | 12-6 |
| May 7 | at Texas State | Bobcat Ballpark • San Marcos, TX | L 3-6 | Bush (2-3) | Samaniego (1-2) | None | 700 | 25-16 | |
| May 8 | at Texas State | Bobcat Ballpark • San Marcos, TX | L 4-13 | Wood (3-4) | Boswell (2-3) | None | 683 | 25-17 | |
| May 9 | at Texas State | Bobcat Ballpark • San Marcos, TX | W 9-4 | Dalton (5-3) | Nicholas (0-2) | None | 676 | 26-17 | |
| May 14 | Coastal Carolina | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-4 | Alaska (2-2) | Perez (0-1) | None | 829 | 26-18 | 12-7 |
| May 15 | Coastal Carolina | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 3-1 | Boswell (3-3) | Kreuzer (1-1) | Lehrmann (1) | 850 | 27-18 | 13-7 |
| May 16 | Coastal Carolina | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | W 4-1 | Booker (6-0) | Parker (3-5) | Dalton (3) | 841 | 28-18 | 14-7 |
| May 20 | at Appalachian State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 4-6 | Roberts (1-0) | Smith (4-1) | Papp (1) | 389 | 28-19 | 14-8 |
| May 21 | at Appalachian State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 2-4 | Ellington (3-0) | Lehrmann (3-3) | None | 469 | 28-20 | 14-9 |
| May 22 | at Appalachian State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 13-3 | Booker (7-0) | Tujetsch (1-6) | None | 440 | 29-20 | 15-9 |
Post-season (7–2) :
SBC Tournament (4–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 26 | vs. (6E) Coastal Carolina | (1E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 14-7 | Smith (5-1) | Kreuzer (1-2) | Boyd (1) | ESPN+ | | 30-20 | 1-0 |
| May 27 | vs. (4W) Little Rock | (1E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 6-2 | Michael (5-0) | Evans (1-3) | None | ESPN+ | | 31-20 | 2-0 |
| May 29 | vs. (2W) UT Arlington | (1E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 5-4 | Samaniego (2-2) | Wong (3-2) | Dalton (4) | ESPN+ | | 32-20 | 3-0 |
| May 30 | vs. (2E) Georgia Southern | (1E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 10-4 | Smith (6-1) | Harris (2-3) | None | ESPN+ | 3,162 | 33-20 | 4-0 |
NCAA tournament (3-2) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| Gainesville Regionals ||||||||||||
| Jun. 4 | vs. (2) Miami | (3) | Florida Ballpark • Gainesville, FL | L 0-1 | Rosario (6-4) | Lehrmann (3-4) | Palmquist (14) | ACCN | 2,856 | 33-21 | 0-1 |
| Jun. 5 | vs. (1)/No. 14 Florida | (3) | Florida Ballpark • Gainesville, FL | W 19-1 | Smith (7-1) | Barco (10-3) | None | SECN | 3,673 | 34-21 | 1-1 |
| Jun. 6 | vs. (2) Miami | (3) | Florida Ballpark • Gainesville, FL | W 7-2 | Booker (8-0) | Garland (6-4) | Samaniego (7) | ESPN+ | 2,851 | 35-21 | 2-1 |
| Jun. 6 | vs. (4) South Florida | (3) | Florida Ballpark • Gainesville, FL | W 4-0 | Perez (1-1) | Lord (3-4) | None | ESPN3 | 3,304 | 36-21 | 3-1 |
| Jun. 7 | vs. (4) South Florida | (3) | Florida Ballpark • Gainesville, FL | L 4-6 | Kerkering (5-3) | Arguelles (0-3) | Sanchez (1) | ESPN3 | 2,526 | 36-22 | 3-2 |

## Gainesville Regional

Gainesville Regional Teams :
| (1) Florida Gators | (2) Miami Hurricanes | (3) South Alabama Jaguars | (4) South Florida Bulls |
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 15 | Florida | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | South Florida | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | South Florida | 5 | South Florida | South Florida | 10 | | | | |
| | | | Miami | Miami | 2 | | | | |
| South Alabama | South Alabama | 0 | Miami | Miami | 2 | | | | |
| Miami | Miami | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Miami | Miami | 1 | | | | South Florida | South Florida | 0 | 6 |
| | | | | | | South Alabama | South Alabama | 4 | 4 |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | South Alabama | South Alabama | 4 | 4 |
| | | | Miami | Miami | 2 | | | | |
| 15 | Florida | 1 | South Alabama | South Alabama | 7 | | | | |
| | South Alabama | 19 | | | | | | | |

## Postseason
### Conference accolades

* Player of the Year: Mason McWhorter – GASO
* Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Arnold – LR
* Freshman of the Year: Garrett Gainous – TROY
* Newcomer of the Year: Drake Osborn – LA
* Coach of the Year: Mark Calvi – USA
References: