DENVER – MSU Denver had arguably the best baseball season in program history last year.
 
Now the challenge is to get even better.
 
Because, though the Roadrunners' 34-10 overall record and 28-8 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play would have been good enough to earn the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in any other year, last year – due to COVID-19 – the South Central Regional field was cut from six teams to four and, when UCCS made a surprise run to the RMAC Tournament championship, MSU Denver was forced to stay home.
 
"It's always a motivation," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "I've talked to these guys and I tell them every year is different. We have a lot of different guys this year, but we also have a lot of guys returning who know we were close and deserved to be there. But for every team, it's a chance to make the regional for the first time in school history, and that's a good carrot to dangle in front of them.
 
"At the same time, that's far away from where we're at now."
 
Where the Roadrunners are now, at last, is at the dawn of another college baseball season.
 
Minot State (N.D.) comes to the Assembly Athletic Complex for a season-opening three-game series that includes an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a single game at noon.
 
"We really do have to focus, starting now, on winning every game we can," Strain said. "It's important to win as many games as possible, because we're in one of the toughest regions in the country and you have to measure up against a lot of good teams. Every year deserving teams are left out of our regional tournament that would be in the tournament in other regions. There's still only six spots."
 
After running out what was one of the best offensive groups in program history last year while producing a school-record win total, the Roadrunners are contemplating what could be an even better group this season. But, after boasting perhaps the best pitching staff in program history – particularly the four-man starting rotation – the Roadrunners are looking for talented arms to move into more prominent roles.
 
"Our staff is very deep, just like last year, but we really didn't get to show how deep our staff was because our starting pitching was so good," Strain said. "We had a lot of guys who didn't throw a ton who have really good arms. This year is similar, it's just that they haven't thrown a lot of innings, other than Austin Stone (the lone returning starter).
 
"But we have a chance to be just as good. It just may not look the same – our starters may not go six or seven innings. We may throw guys in shorter stints, have them throw their best bullets, then bring in someone who is also talented to do the same."
 
Besides Stone, a three-year mainstay with 11 career wins in 26 starts, the most notable name among starting rotation contenders is Reichle Arcilise, who excelled in a swingman role last year, going 3-2 with one save and a 3.14 ERA in 11 appearances (three starts). En route to being named RMAC Co-Freshman Pitcher of the Year, Arcilise struck out 36 in 28 2/3 innings.
 
Strain said the right-hander appears ready for an elevated role.
 
"Reichle is not lacking any confidence, which is a good thing," Strain said. "You need a pitcher who trusts his stuff when you are pitching against guys swinging metal bats. He has great stuff, and he can throw all his pitches for strikes at any time and in any count."
 
Beyond those two, veterans Carter Akerfelds, Tyler Phillips and Josh Thompson, transfer Andrew Hayes and freshman Brad Helton are in line to get early chances to fill out the starting rotation.
 
In the bullpen, closer Eric Cox and lefty Conner Nantkes are the mainstays – Cox is an All-RMAC honorable mention player who is tied for sixth in program history with 10 career saves.
 
Gabe Austin, Tyler Schultz, Clayton Burke, Brandon Moore and Brady Mello all pitched fewer than eight innings last season but will move into more prominent roles in 2022 – Strain in particular has been impressed by the offseason development of Moore and Mello.
 
"As you build a team, that's what you hope for, that you gradually move guys into different roles as they gain more experience," Strain said. "You're going to lose critical guys every year and it's tough to bring in multiple front-line guys every year. You have to be able to develop players over time."
 
Meanwhile, if the pitching can give the Roadrunners a chance, the offense should have no problem holding up its end of the bargain. Strain's biggest issue could be finding a way to get at-bats for 20 high-quality hitters when he can only start nine every day.
 
"It's a very talented group," Strain said. "They've all done some nice things and a lot of them do different things well, so we have some options. I'm going to feel good about whatever nine guys I put in the lineup each game, that I have a guy in every spot that the other team has to deal with. In 17 years of coaching, I've never had a team this deep on the offensive side.
 
"They all deserve to play, and the hard part is getting everyone the opportunity they deserve."
 
Leading the way are second baseman Chase Anderson and third baseman Bill Ralston, each of whom earned postseason All-America honors last season and preseason All-America accolades this year.
 
Anderson batted .377 with eight homers, 29 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, and his .480 on-base percentage and .617 slugging percentage produced a 1.097 OPS. Ralston hit .395 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs, with a .484 on-base percentage, .691 slugging percentage and 1.175 OPS. They figure to reside at the top of the lineup with shortstop Caleb Albaugh, who batted .367 with six homers, 37 RBIs and 14 stolen bases as a true freshman and earned All-RMAC honorable mention.
 
Catcher Colin Stone and outfielder Jake Barber also return, and multiple newcomers figure to have an immediate impact, including Texas A&M transfer Zane Schmidt (a catcher and first baseman), former junior college All-American and North Carolina State recruit Blake Mattey (an outfielder), All-RMAC outfielder Tanner Garner (a transfer from Colorado Mesa) and junior college transfers Ross Smith, Zach Schuler, Peter Goldy, Christian Villa, and Tyler Barth.
 
Infielders Cody Schultz and Zach Paschke and outfielder Jayden Cordova are veterans who will likely figure prominently in Strain's plans, and true freshmen such as infielder Gavin Schmeh and outfielder Cam Yuran have high expectations.
 
Strain loves his catching depth, which includes Keegan Vialpando and Nate Madrid.
 
"Our offense should be very good," Strain said. "Our pitching staff doesn't have a lot of experience, but they've been facing our lineup all fall and all spring, so they've been challenged."