After a successful 2011 season as one of the top pitchers in Southeast Missouri, Naylor left handed pitcher Dalton Woodard will continue his career at Lindenwood University. Last season as a junior, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Woodard posted a 0.72 ERA while holding batters to a paltry .109 batting average in 67.2 innings pitched. Woodard allowed only 7 earned runs all season, while striking out 126 batters and receiving All Conference, All District, and All State Honors.

Dalton plans on majoring in Biology and wants to be a Physical Therapist after graduation.

PBR: Which schools were you considering prior to committing to Lindenwodd University?

Woodard: I was looking at several schools. The final three were Lindenwood, Jefferson County CC and Three Rivers College.

PBR: What were the reasons that you ultimately chose Lindenwood?

Woodard: It was just the best fit for me. Academically, it’s a great school and with the baseball program moving to D2, it will only get better.

PBR: What was the relationship you had with the coaching staff in the recruitment process?

Woodard: It was a great relationship. I had contact with them every week and really enjoyed my visit to the campus. I’m looking forward to playing for them.

PBR: You had a very successful junior year and posted some impressive numbers, what are your thoughts on your past success and how will you translate that into the same success in 2012 and beyond?

Woodard: A lot of the credit for my success goes to my teammates and Coach Null. The numbers I put up couldn’t have been done without them. I have to keep working hard and learn to continue my success. It won’t be easy to repeat last year, but I’m going to try.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the baseball season?

Woodard: After our fall season, I usually shut down my throwing until sometime in January. I also play basketball, which helps me stay in shape.

PBR: Do you feel that playing in SEMO and facing the competition you do has prepared you to be a college baseball player player?

Woodard: Absolutely, I usually face the top teams in our conference. Pitching in the summer against good teams helps a lot too.

PBR: What are your thoughts on the implementation of BBCOR bats from a pitching perspective?

Woodard: I think it will help as a pitcher, when you make a good pitch. With the old bats, a hitter could miss the sweet spot on the bat and still drive the ball. With the new bats, that won’t happen as often.

PBR: What team did you play for over the summer and how did it go for you? Were there any aspects of your game that you wanted to improve during the summer?

Woodard: I pitched for the Charleston Fighting Squirrels this last summer. I had a pretty good summer. Not as good as I would’ve liked, but still ok. The biggest thing I worked on, was getting used to pitching to lineups that had good hitters all the way through.

PBR: As you head into your senior year, is it good to have the commitment and recruiting process done?

Woodard: I think it is good. Now I can focus on just playing and helping my team win.

PBR: Do you feel that this season will be any different considering that you know where you’ll attend college?

Woodard: I don’t think it will be. I still have to go out and do my job every time I’m on the mound.

PBR: What do you hope to accomplish in this upcoming season, both individually and as a team?

Woodard: My ultimate goal is to make the final 4. We have a lot of work to do to get there. Individually, I just want to help my team win any way I can.