NEW ORLEANS, La. – Jason Swan,
Christian Avant, and
Noah Ledford have all selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team after a vote from coaches around the league.
First baseman
Jason Swan started 50 games and played in 54 of the 57 total games played by the 2021 squad, with 55 hits on 194 at bats, or a .284 batting average. He scored 34 runs of his own, and brought in 22 RBIs as the season progressed. Swan was a perfect 10-10 on stolen bases in 2021. Swan had one of his best games against ULM in the Sun Belt tournament, where he went 3-3 with a double, a triple, and a run scored, along with three RBIs.
Outfielder
Christian Avant was second on the 2021 team in batting average, posting a .358 BA. The only player with a higher BA was the Sun Belt's Player of the Year
Mason McWhorter. Avant started all but one game for the Eagles last season, earning 78 hits and driving in 38 RBIs. He boasted a slugging percentage of .509, and had 20 extra base hits on the season (12 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 home runs). One of Avant's best games came earlier in the season against College of Charleston, where he went 4-5, hitting two doubles while scoring two runs and driving in four RBIs.
Designated hitter
Noah Ledford hit 14 home runs on the 2021 season, second only before the aforementioned McWhorter. Ledford recorded 57 hits on the season, scoring 32 runs and driving in 45 RBIs. He carried a slugging percentage of .511, and was walked 23 times by opposing pitchers. 26 of his 57 hits were extra base hits (10 doubles, 2 triples, and 14 home runs). Ledford had a big game against Troy last season, where he went 2-2, but he made those two count. He hit two home runs and drove in three RBIs on the day.
The Eagles will begin their season on the road against #19 Tennessee from February 18 – February 20. The Eagles will host their home opener against #21 Georgia Tech on February 22, with first pitch at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are available now on
gseagles.com/tickets.
2022 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Miles Smith, South Alabama (Sr., SP – Laurel, Miss.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt
Miles Smith, South Alabama (Sr., SP – Laurel, Miss.)
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., SP – Rison, Ark.)
Tyler Tuthill, App State (Jr., SP – Clayton, N.C.)
Brandon Talley, Louisiana (Sr., RP – Princeton, Texas)
Caleb Bartolero, Troy (Jr., C – Woodstock, Ga.)
Jason Swan, Georgia Southern (Sr., 1B – Jacksonville, Fla.)
Luke Drumheller, App State (Jr., 2B – Charlotte, N.C.)
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Ben Klutts, Arkansas State (Sr., 3B – Poteau, Okla.)
Christian Avant, Georgia Southern (Sr., OF – Tifton, Ga.)
Josh Smith, Georgia State (Jr., OF – College Park, Ga.)
Rigsby Mosley, Troy (Sr., OF – Maitland, Fla.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (So., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (Jr., DH – Buford, Ga.)