Southwest baseball eagerly awaits the start of the 2014 schedule. After three years of significant injuries, the Bears are finally healthy heading into a season. Even with five pitchers out last year, Southwest finished tied with Hinds for fifth in the MACJC South, with each school missing the playoffs by only two games.

With seven pitchers returning that saw action in 2013, plus the addition of three transfers and four freshmen, the pitching staff could be one of the best at the school in recent years. Jesse Travis, a 2013 Milwaukee Brewers draft pick and graduate of nearby North Pike High School, returns after logging 32 strikeouts in 42 innings for the Bears.

Jason Milton (Kentwood, LA-Bowling Green School), a standout on the mound in 2012, returns after having arm surgery in 2013. Chase Ladd (Warren Central High School) recorded 30 strikeouts in 28 innings last year and has continued to improve. Caleb Crumpler (Long Beach High School), Jared Simon (West Harrison High School), J.D. Stockstill (Picayune High School) and Austin White (Simpson Academy) also return after good years coming out of the bullpen.

South Alabama-signee Shane McKinley (Parklane Academy) headlines the transfers, with 67 strikeouts in 66 innings last year at Co-Lin. Payden Lynch (Covington, LA, High School), one of the top four starters at Holmes last year, will also see time in the outfield. Cliff Hurst (Centreville Academy), projected as a starter, redshirted at Southern Miss last year in football and baseball. Freshman Brady Badon, a North Pike product, will be the closer in 2014 after having an outstanding high school career.

Freshmen Jordan McCaffrey (Lawrence County High School), Sam Richard (Ridgeland High School) and Jacob Savoy (Springfield, LA, High School) will see some bullpen action, with Richard and Savoy also vying for time as infielders.

Seven position players that started at some point in the 2013 season return for the Bears. Infielders Collin Carroll (Ridgeland High School) and Ken Hodges (North Pike) return as the best statistical hitters from 2013, with Carroll at .305 and Hodges at .307. They will anchor the middle of the batting order.

Talented infielders Anthony Durr (North Pike) and Logan Ferrell (Purvis High School) will play the middle infield spots, with Durr working at third base some as well. Freshman Cole Guyton (Germantown High School) and sophomore Austin Knight (Sumrall High School) will also push for some playing time in the infield.

Speedy outfielders Patric Devlin (Long Beach High School), Andrew Hulbert (Ridgeland High School) and Zach Jones (Sumrall High School) return and all started in 2013. Transfer Trey Wynn (Pearl River Central High School) comes in after playing football last season. Wynn and Lynch provide some power potential to the outfield.

Tyler Towles (Centreville Academy) returns at catcher after missing 2013 due to injury. He will be joined at the catching position by fellow freshmen Trent Gordy (Germantown High School) and Matt Fountain (Slidell, LA-Archbishop Shaw High School).

The 2014 schedule will be a challenge with the strong MACJC South Division,

plus recent World Series participants Faulkner State (AL), Pensacola State (FL) and Kaskaskia (IL). The Bears host Coahoma today and travel to Birmingham for their first road trip Saturday against Lawson State.