The Coast Guard baseball team that opens its season on Saturday will be a veteran group.

The Bears, who were 16-21 last season and 8-9 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference, return nine of their top ten hitters from last season and all but one pitcher.

"The strength of our returners is the pitching staff," said 11th-year head coach C.C. Grant. "We are as deep as we have been in my 11 years and I'm looking for big years out of seniors tri-captain Colton Cannon and Eric Vrissis at the top of our rotation."

Coast Guard plays a three-game series against Centre College of Kentucky in Emerson, Ga., beginning with a noon doubleheader on Saturday. There is a single game at noon on Sunday. The Bears don't play again until March 4, when they play eight games over a week in the Gene Cusic Classic at Fort Myers, Fla.

Cannon was 4-1 with a 3.83 ERA last season and will be joined in the rotation with year by Vrissis and sophomores Dustin Reeder (3-1, 3.82), Walter Harris (3-3, 4.71) and Dan Finn (2-3). The bullpen returns senior Justin Rebholz, junior Joe Siciliano and sophomores Jack Brandt, Brian Delp, Will Stephens and Robert Marrant. Freshman Ben Webster will be counted on later in the season while freshman Brett Sullivan will be the closer.

Senior tri-captains Kyle Jackson (.315, 19 RBI) and Timbo Duncan (17 RBI) will anchor the outfield and be key hitters in the middle of the order. Third baseman Zach Serna, who led the team with a .358 average, 10 doubles and 23 RBI last season, will also be counted on to be a key contributor in the heart of the lineup. Sophomores Luke Thompson and Trey Rittenhouse will play in the outfield with junior Tucker Williams and freshmen Alex Cordes and Michael Goldsworthy.

Freshman Jon Pressley and sophomore Reed Jenkins will see time at first base, sophomore Jake Behne will start at second base, Stephens will be the shortstop, and freshman Josh Nguyen-Domingo will provide infield depth.

Juniors Alex Murdoch and Christian Toscano split time at catcher last season while sophomore Jeremy Lhotka provides depth behind the plate and will serve as CGA's designated hitter.

Another key to the season will be the return of senior Brendan McNeil of Pawcatuck, who missed all of last season with an injury. He will see time in the outfield and at DH.

"I'm excited as we enter the season and I think we a have a nice mix of experienced upperclassmen along with a lot of talent all over the field in the freshman and sophomore class," said Grant.