LITTLE ROCK – Reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year
Hayden Arnold has been named a preseason All-Sun Belt selection, voted on by the league's head coaches.
Arnold was a force throughout the 2021 season in Sun Belt games, boasting a league-best 1.54 ERA in conference games while pitching 52.2 innings, the most of any pitcher in the league. Arnold ranked third in conference games in strikeouts (54) and wins (five) and fifth in opposing batting average (.191). He allowed just nine earned runs in eight starts, walking nine to give him a 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 9.23 strikeout-per-nine tally.
The Rison, Arkansas finished 7-3 on the year with a 2.85 ERA over 82.0 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts. Among the overall Sun Belt leaders, Arnold tied for second in wins, third in innings pitched, fourth in ERA, tied for seventh in strikeouts and 10th in opposing batting average (.226).
Arnold enters 2022 with a chance to forever etch his name in the Trojan record book. The fifth-year starter ranks third in winning percentage (.609), tied for sixth in career wins (14), seventh in both strikeouts (225) and innings pitched (216.0), eighth in strikeouts per nine (9.38), ninth in career ERA (3.46) and 10th in appearances (60).
Little Rock, which was picked eighth in the preseason Sun Belt poll Wednesday, returns nearly its entire starting lineup from last season's squad, along with a number of key newcomers. The Trojans have 32 home games at Gary Hogan Field this season, getting underway next weekend with a three-game series against Eastern Illinois. Season tickets are available by
ordering here.
2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Awards
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
SP – Miles Smith, South Alabama
SP – Hayden Arnold, Little Rock
SP – Tyler Tuthill, App State
RP – Brandon Talley, Louisiana
C – Caleb Bartolero, Troy
1B – Jason Swan, Georgia Southern
2B – Luke Drumheller, App State
SS – Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina
3B – Ben Klutts, Arkansas State
OF – Christian Avant, Georgia Southern
OF – Josh Smth, Georgia State
OF – Rigsby Mosley, Troy
UTL – Cameron Jones, Georgia State
DH – Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern
Preseason Player of the Year: Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Miles Smith, South Alabama
#LittleRocksTeam
