2021 Georgia Southern Eagles baseball team explained
| Mode: | baseball |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Team: | Georgia Southern Eagles |
| Conference: | Sun Belt Conference |
| Division: | East Division |
| Short Conf: | SBC |
| Record: | 34–23 |
| Conf Record: | 14–10 |
| Head Coach: | Rodney Hennon |
| Hc Year: | 21st |
| Asst Coach1: | B. J. Green |
| Asst Coach2: | Alan Beck |
| Stadium: | J. I. Clements Stadium |
| Champion: | SBC Tournament Pool B champions |
The 2021 Georgia Southern Eagles baseball team represented Georgia Southern Eagles during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Eagles played their home games at J. I. Clements Stadium and were led by twenty-first year head coach Rodney Hennon. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Preseason
Signing Day Recruits
[1]
| Pitchers |
|---|
| Brayden Collett | Evans, Georgia | Greenbrier HS |
| Rem Maxwell | Winder, Georgia | Jefferson County HS |
| Will Robbins | Cumming, Georgia | Forsyth Central HS |
| Brett Zerbel | Augusta, Georgia | Augusta Christian |
| Pax Briley III | Suwanee, Georgia | North Gwinnett HS |
| Declan Dun | Peachtree City, Georgia | Starr's Mill HS |
| Hitters |
|---|
| Blake Chapman | Simsbury, Connecticut | Elev8 Sports Institute |
| Garrett Carter | McDonough, Georgia | Ola HS |
| Preston Gunnell | Canton, Georgia | Woodstock HS |
| Sean White | Peachtree City, Georgia | Starr's Mill HS |
| JB Bell | Buford, Georgia | Flowery Branch HS |
| Carson Mynatt | Canton, Georgia | Cherokee HS | |
Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll
The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 15, 2021 and the Eagles were picked to finish third in the East Division with 51 votes.[2]
| Coaches poll (East) |
| 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)
Personnel
Roster
[3]
Coaching staff
Schedule and results
| Legend |
|---|
| | Georgia Southern win |
| | Georgia Southern loss |
| | Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions |
| Bold | Georgia Southern team member | |
| 2021 Georgia Southern Eagles baseball game log |
|---|
| Regular season (31–22) |
|---|
| February (2–5) |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
|---|
| Feb. 19 | | | | L 3–5 | Dallas (1–0) | Jackson (0–1) | Walsh (1) | | 704 | 0–1 | | | Feb. 20 | No. 19 Tennessee | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 3–5 | Redmond (1–0) | Harris (0–1) | None | | 767 | 0–2 | | | Feb. 21 | No. 19 Tennessee | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 3–7 (12 inns) | Hunley (1–0) | Paden (0–1) | None | | 709 | 0–3 | | | Feb. 24 | | | | W 18–7 | Thompson (1–0) | Cook (0–1) | None | | 442 | 1–3 | | | Feb. 26 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 4–6 | Bridges (1–0) | Jackson (0–2) | Colmore (1) | | 701 | 1–4 | | | Feb. 27 | No. 22 East Carolina | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 10–7 | Johnson (1–0) | Mayhue (0–1) | Johnson (1) | | 756 | 2–4 | | | Feb. 28 | No. 22 East Carolina | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 2–9 | Whisenhunt (1–0) | Hays (0–1) | None | | 762 | 2–5 | | |
|
| March (10–6) |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
|---|
| Mar. 3 | at | | | W 3–1 | Jackson (1–2) | Santos (0–1) | Jones (1) | | 119 | 3–5 | | | Mar. 5 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 5–1 | Johnson (2–0) | Seils (1–2) | Hays (1) | | 629 | 4–5 | | | Mar. 6 | Towson | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 7–5 | Dollander (1–0) | Ramanjulu (0–2) | Jones (2) | | 647 | 5–5 | | | Mar. 7 | Towson | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 6–5 | Paden (1–1) | Santangelo (0–1) | Jones (3) | | 637 | 6–5 | | | Mar. 9 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 2–5 | Cannon (1–0) | Jackson (1–3) | None | | 850 | 6–6 | | | Mar. 12 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 11–7 | Thompson (2–0) | Taylor (0–1) | Jones (4) | | 732 | 7–6 | | | Mar. 13 | UAB | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 15–4 | Dollander (2–0) | O'Clair (2–2) | None | | 527 | 8–6 | | | Mar. 14 | UAB | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 9–5 | Johnson (1–0) | Knight (1–1) | Jones (5) | | 643 | 9–6 | | | Mar. 17 | | | | Game Postponed | | Mar. 19 | | | | W 8–1 | Owens (1–0) | Ortiz (2–2) | None | | 809 | 10–6 | 1–0 | | Mar. 20 | at Troy | | Riddle–Pace Field • Troy, AL | L 8–11 | Gainous (3–1) | Dollander (2–1) | None | | 1,057 | 10–7 | 1–1 | | Mar. 21 | at Troy | | Riddle–Pace Field • Troy, AL | L 4–8 | Witcher (3–1) | Johnson (1–1) | Pettys (1) | | 831 | 10–8 | 1–2 | | Mar. 23 | | | | L 4–6 | Clayton (2–0) | Parker (0–1) | None | | 1,498 | 10–9 | | | Mar. 26 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 3–1 | Owens (2–0) | Tuthill (2–3) | Jones (6) | | 779 | 11–9 | 2–2 | | Mar. 27 | Appalachian State | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 10–2 | Dollander (3–1) | Martinez (3–3) | None | | 735 | 12–9 | 3–2 | | Mar. 28 | Appalachian State | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 1–3 | Hall (4–0) | Johnson (1–2) | Ellington (2) | | 607 | 12–10 | 3–3 | | Mar. 30 | College of Charleston | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 3–6 | Czerwinski (1–0) | Paden (1–2) | Williams (2) | | 637 | 12–11 | | |
|
| April (13–5) |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
|---|
| Apr. 1 | | | | W 23–1 | Owens (3–0) | Watson (2–4) | None | | 292 | 13–11 | 4–3 | | Apr. 2 | at Georgia State | | GSU Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA | L 6–7 (10 inns) | Horton (1–1) | Johnson (1–3) | None | | 356 | 13–12 | 4–4 | | Apr. 3 | at Georgia State | | GSU Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA | W 2–3 | Sweatt (2–1) | Jackson (1–4) | None | | 398 | 13–13 | 4–5 | | Apr. 6 | at Georgia | | | W 2–1 | Hays (1–1) | Pasqua (1–1) | Jones (7) | | 664 | 14–13 | | | Apr. 9 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 4–3 | Owens (4–0) | Longsworth (0–2) | Jones (2) | | 617 | 15–13 | 5–5 | | Apr. 10 | Louisiana–Monroe | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 4–1 | Dollander (4–1) | Barlow (3–4) | Jones (9) | | 647 | 16–13 | 6–5 | | Apr. 11 | Louisiana–Monroe | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 7–1 | Jackson (2–4) | Lien (3–1) | None | | 573 | 17–13 | 7–5 | | Apr. 13 | North Florida | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 8–6 | Harris (1–1) | Madonna (2–2) | Parker (1) | | 546 | 18–13 | | | Apr. 14 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 3–2 | Jones (1–0) | Sutko (2–2) | None | | 607 | 19–13 | | | Apr. 16 | | | | W 8–2 | Owens (5–0) | Hopwood (4–2) | None | | 1,000 | 20–13 | 8–5 | | Apr. 17 | at Coastal Carolina | | Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC | W 8–3 | Hays (2–1) | Parker (2–3) | Jones (10) | | 1,000 | 21–13 | 9–5 | | Apr. 18 | at Coastal Carolina | | Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC | L 6–8 | Sharkey (2–1) | Jackson (2–5) | Kreuzer (1) | | 1,000 | 21–14 | 9–6 | | Apr. 21 | at | | | W 11–5 | Thompson (3–0) | Grogan (3–1) | None | | 120 | 22–14 | | | Apr. 24 | at | | | W 4–1 | Owens (6–0) | Bennett (3–3) | Jones (11) | | 724 | 23–14 | | | Apr. 24 | at Oklahoma | | L. Dale Mitchell Baseball Park • Norman, OK | W 3–2 | Johnson (2–3) | Taggart (1–5) | Thompson (1) | | 725 | 24–14 | | | Apr. 25 | at Oklahoma | | L. Dale Mitchell Baseball Park • Norman, OK | L 4–14 | Ruffcorn (3–1) | Jackson (2–6) | None | | 613 | 24–15 | | | Apr. 27 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 4–3 | Thompson (4–0) | Graham (0–2) | Jones (12) | | 529 | 25–15 | | | Apr. 30 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 5–12 | Smith (4–0) | Harris (1–2) | None | | 769 | 25–16 | 9–7 | |
|
| May (6–6) |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
|---|
| May 1 | South Alabama | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 11–2 | Thompson (5–0) | Boswell (2–2) | None | | 673 | 26–16 | 10–7 | | May 2 | South Alabama | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 7–6 | Thompson (6–0) | Dalton (4–3) | Jones (13) | | 639 | 27–16 | 11–7 | | May 7 | | | | L 1–6 | Hudson (4–1) | Owens (6–1) | None | | 346 | 27–17 | 11–8 | | May 8 | at Arkansas State | | Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field • Jonesboro, AR | L 0–4 | Nash (3–4) | Dollander (4–2) | Jumper (4) | | | 27–18 | 11–9 | | May 8 | at Arkansas State | | Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field • Jonesboro, AR | W 3–2 | Jackson (3–6) | Holt (3–3) | Jones (14) | | 457 | 28–18 | 12–9 | | May 11 | Kennesaw State | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | Game cancelled | | May 13 | at | | | L 5–8 | Edgington (3–3) | Owens (6–2) | Sprake (5) | | 65 | 28–19 | | | May 14 | at Elon | | Walter C. Latham Park • Elon, NC | L 4–6 | Simon (1–4) | Dollander (4–3) | Sprake (6) | | 65 | 28–20 | | | May 15 | at Elon | | Walter C. Latham Park • Elon, NC | W 7–5 | Harris (2–2) | Evans (0–1) | Jones (15) | | 65 | 29–20 | | | May 18 | at Mercer | | | L 1–5 | Jackson (3–3) | Davis (0–1) | Sutko (12) | | 478 | 29–21 | | | May 20 | | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 3–5 | Norris (4–3) | Thompson (6–1) | King (4) | | 457 | 29–22 | 12–10 | | May 21 | UT Arlington | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 3–2 | Jackson (4–6) | Bullard (7–4) | Jones (16) | | 487 | 30–22 | 13–10 | | May 22 | UT Arlington | | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 6–3 | Davis (1–1) | Moffat (4–5) | Jones (17) | | 529 | 31–22 | 14–10 | |
|
| Post-season (3–1) |
|---|
| (3–1) |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
|---|
| May 26 | vs. (5E) Georgia State | (2E) | | W 10–1 | Owens (7–2) | Jones (1–8) | None | | | 32–22 | 1–0 | | May 28 | vs. (3W) Louisiana–Monroe | (2E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 9–5 | Bruce (1–0) | Lien (4–3) | None | | | 33–22 | 2–0 | | May 29 | | (2E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 3–2 (11 inns) | Thompson (7–1) | Arrighetti (8–6) | None | | | 34–22 | 3–0 | | May 30 | vs. (1E) South Alabama | (2E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | L 4–10 | Smith (6–1) | Harris (2–3) | None | | 3,162 | 34–23 | 3–1 | |
| |
Schedule Source:[4] *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.
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
All Conference First Team
- Connor Cooke (LA)
- Hayden Arnold (LR)
- Carlos Tavera (UTA)
- Nick Jones (GASO)
- Drake Osborn (LA)
- Robbie Young (APP)
- Luke Drumheller (APP)
- Drew Frederic (TROY)
- Ben Klutts (ARST)
- Mason McWhorter (GASO)
- Logan Cerny (TROY)
- Ethan Wilson (USA)
- Cameron Jones (GSU)
- Ben Fitzgerald (LA)
All Conference Second Team
- JoJo Booker (USA)
- Tyler Tuthill (APP)
- Jeremy Lee (USA)
- Aaron Barkley (LR)
- BT Riopelle (CCU)
- Dylan Paul (UTA)
- Travis Washburn (ULM)
- Eric Brown (CCU)
- Grant Schulz (ULM)
- Tyler Duncan (ARST)
- Parker Chavers (CCU)
- Josh Smith (GSU)
- Andrew Miller (UTA)
- Noah Ledford (GASO)
References:[5]
Rankings
See main article: 2021 NCAA Division I baseball rankings.
Notes and References
- Web site: Georgia Southern – Perfect Game Baseball Player College Commitments . Perfect Game . 18 August 2020.
- Web site: Conference . Sun Belt . Sun Belt Conference Announces 2021 Baseball Preseason Honors . sunbeltsports.org . 17 February 2021 . en.
- Web site: 2021 Baseball Roster . Georgia Southern University Athletics . 19 February 2021 . en.
- Web site: Georgia Southern Announces 2021 Baseball Schedule . Georgia Southern University Athletics . 19 February 2021 . en.
- Web site: Sun Belt Announces 2021 Baseball All-Conference Teams & Postseason Awards . sunbeltsports.org . 5 January 2022 . en.
