After completing its ninth and final intrasquad scrimmage of the spring last weekend, the Mississippi State University Diamond Dawgs are ready to return to the diamond for the 2014 campaign and repeat their appearance in the College World Series. But this time, the No. 2 preseason Bulldogs have their eyes set on bringing a national title to Starkville.
MSU, who was originally set to host Hofstra in a four-game series, will welcome Western Carolina University to Dudy Noble Field  Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs host the Catamounts Saturday at 4 p.m. before closing the series Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
WCU was previously scheduled to host Ohio University in a four-game series, but Catamount officials canceled the series due to weather.
Junior first baseman and team captain Wes Rea said this year’s expectations remain the same as last season’s, and the appearance in the CWS in 2013 is proof fans and players are buying into what the team can do.
“This year, it wasn’t a big deal to let people know our expectations. They know our expectations based on how we play and how we performed last year and what Coach (John) Cohen has going on now with this program,” Rea said. “There’s a quiet confidence that goes on in the locker room. We go about our business every day. From the outside looking in, people know what to expect as opposed to telling people what to expect.”
The Bulldogs welcome 19 newcomers and return 19 letterwinners from 2013, including five position starters. Seniors Alex Detz, Brett Pirtle and Rea are the club’s top-returning hitters and anchor the infield. MSU  seeks to replace the program’s all-time single-season hits leader Adam Frazier at shortstop who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates last June. 
Junior Matthew Britton is expected to solidify a starting position at shortstop, and Cohen said the program is excited with the progression Britton made in the fall to earn a start.
“I think Britton, at his best, is one of the best defenders in our league. There has never been a question about that,” Cohen said. “He has great length, but he gets in a low-fielder position, which is critical for a shortstop. He’s got great range. I’m very impressed with what he has done — the way he’s turned the corner offensively in the fall and early part of the spring.”
Behind the plate, the Bulldogs with replace a pair of catchers in Nick Ammirati and Mitch Slauter. MSU has four catchers on the roster, but Cohen said there is still plenty of competition at the position for a starting role.
“(Zack) Randolph has really improved as a leader, as a pitcher call and as a blocker. His arm has come a long way. (Gavin) Collins is a freshman who continues to get better every day. Cody Walker probably has the best arm in the whole group, and (Daniel) Garner can really hit. If you combine those four guys — you have a first rounder,” he said. “Each of them brings something different, and I think there’s going to be a lot of opportunities early for us to find out who is going to be that guy.”
On the mound, the Bulldogs return nine pitchers, including juniors and preseason All-Americans Jonathan Holder and Ross Mitchell out of the bullpen. Mitchell owns a career 16-0 record and posted one of the best earned run averages in the nation last season (1.53). Last year, Holder continued to build his resume as one of the most accomplished closers in NCAA baseball history. Holder claimed the school’s career and single-season saves record (30/21) and is 13 saves shy of tying Matt Price (2009-12) for the all-time SEC saves record. 
Despite the accolades, Holder said there is still a lot to play for in 2014.
“There’s just a lot of hard work. When you have a couple of good years, you just have to come back in the fall and realize it’s a new year. It’s not last year and it’s not my freshman year. You work hard, you come back and you get in the grind,” he said. “We proved we can win a national championship. We just have to finish it off.”
One of the bigger questions entering the season is found in the Bulldogs’ starting rotation. 
Cohen said this weekend’s season-opening series will give the coaching staff a good look at multiple players in order to solidify a rotation once conference play begins. 
“I think we’re going to have an opportunity to play a lot of people,’’ Cohen said. “We’re really going to try and pair two starters with each ball game to help us get a little evaluation on who are going to end up being those three guys on the weekend when we start league play.”
Cohen said a mix of returning starters from last season will start the first couple games, but the Dogs may look to newcomers to pitch the Sunday finale.
“Brandon Woodruff is a candidate. Trevor Fitts will start one of the games for us. Ben Bracewell will start one of those games,” he said. “But, again, when you look into Sunday, you have to ask yourself, ‘Who hasn’t pitched?’ We have some young guys who are throwing the baseball well. We’ll see who we don’t use on those first two days and go into Sunday.”
Cohen said freshmen Dakota Hudson and Austin Sexton displayed strong preseason starts and will be candidates to start Sunday’s game against WCU.