DENVER – MSU Denver baseball coach Ryan Strain had quite the luxury the past two years when he could fill out a lineup card that included Cody Schultz, Tanner Garner and Ross Smith at the top and Colin Stone somewhere near the bottom.
 
Those program cornerstones have graduated, but Strain has multiple options available to replace them.
 
He'll start putting new names on different lines this weekend, as the Roadrunners open the season with a three-game series at Northwestern Oklahoma State, with first pitch Friday, Saturday and Sunday scheduled for 1 p.m. CST.
 
The Roadrunners, picked to finish second in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, are coming off a season in which they were 42-13 overall and 25-7 and tied for second place in the league while earning a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
"We brought in some really good players," Strain said. "They're talented, and they come from good programs and have had good success. I feel good about the guys we brought in, but it's just different. They've played well, but you don't know until they get in there. Our lineup has basically been the same the last two years. What we're losing more than anything is experience at this level. But we've got a lot of good options."
 
Strain does, by the way, have three All-Americans he can still put in the middle of the order somewhere in outfielder Cam Yuran, first baseman Jake Williams and designated hitter-catcher Zach Schuler. In their two seasons as starters, they've already become some of the most prolific hitters in program history.
 
Yuran was named a preseason All-American for the second straight season, while Schuler earned first- and second-team All-America honors at the end of last season as well as preseason for 2024, and Williams earned second- and third-team All-America honors last year.
 
While there were holes that needed to be filled in the lineup, the pitching staff – other than all-time saves leader Eric Cox – returns nearly intact.
 
"We bring back a lot of experience on the mound," Strain said. "Everyone who threw a lot, with the exception of Cox, is back. And we added some new guys who have a chance to help us. It's always good to have some pitching depth."
 
Jack Slominski (9-2, 5.73 ERA) and Andrew Hayes (9-2, 6.26) tied the program's single-season win record last year, and Reichle Arcilise (6-2, 5.83) has been one of the program's best-ever pitchers.
 
Those three factor into a four-man starting pitching rotation that could also potentially include Brad Helton, talented left-hander Nolan Livsey and Carson Brown (5-1, 6.43). Helton will start one of the three games this weekend.
 
Lefties Brady McLean and Zane Covey, along with right-hander Gabe Austin, were consistent high-leverage relief options last year, and they're part of a bullpen mix that could also include former Regis and Division I pitcher Brayden Brooks, junior college transfers Dylan Webber and Carter Swan, veteran Tyler Schultz and NAIA transfer Kobe Krenz.
 
"They've made some nice strides," Strain said. "We have a lot of good arms, more than most teams have."
 
Top candidates to move into the everyday lineup include outfielders Brooks Rasmussen and Nathan Gutierrez, and infielders Andrew Graham and Jesse Velders.
 
In junior college last season, Velders won the Big 8 Conference batting title, while Rasmussen and Graham finished second and third, respectively, in the Northwest Athletic Conference batting race.
 
"If they play like they're capable of, like they did in junior college, we could be just as good," Strain said. "We may not hit as many home runs, but we'll strike out a lot less. But we'll see. Because two years ago when those guys came in, I didn't think we'd hit as many home runs as we did."
 
MSU Denver has had its two most prolific home run seasons in program history the past two years.
 
Another group of new players pushing for playing time include infielder Tyler Tobey, first baseman/outfielder Andrew Paolini and outfielder and Andre Chacon.
 
Shortstop Caleb Albaugh has been a three-year starter and veteran outfielder Jayden Cordova and sophomore infielder Gavin Schmeh have been part-time starters during their careers.
 
Three newcomers – Brody Brown, Hayes Edens and Nathan Greene – are in contention for the starting catching job, and Schuler is also an option there.
 
As has been the case for several seasons, Strain has a multitude of quality players, but only nine (plus a pitcher) can go on the lineup card.
 
"I've been very fortunate to have kids who have accepted their roles and have been able to handle not playing the last couple of years," Strain said. "This group, all of them have been a dude on their previous teams."