Senior shortstop Terrence Dayleg said before the season that the team hadn’t specifically talked about goals for the season, but he knew the Toppers were on the same page with their expectations for 2009.

“To do better than we did last year,” Dayleg said. “We were right up there last year, and obviously, we’re much better this year, and I think we can compete and beat those teams this year.”

The Toppers (35-12, 19-5 Sun Belt Conference) entered last year’s conference tournament as the fifth seed but won four of their five games to take the conference title and advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.

Though Western lost both of its NCAA games, to Oklahoma State and TCU, the experience gave the Toppers the desire to return to the tournament and surpass their 2008 success.

Student intern Scott Kaskie played center field in 2008 and was the only position player the Toppers had to replace this season.

Kaskie’s eligibility expired last season, and he now helps coach position players as a requirement for a recreation degree, a position he says has been fun for him because he likes being able to contribute to the team’s success.

“Not being able to be on the team, out there on the field and make an impact on the game, I like kind of being able to make an impact as a coach,” he said.

Kaskie said the 2009 team has more experience and leadership than last year’s, and he believes the Toppers have a good chance of making the NCAA tournament, either as the conference champions or an at-large bid.

“You can tell the difference between this team and last year’s team is that they want it,” Kaskie said. “They want it a lot. They know what they have to do, they’ve been through it, and now they know what it takes to be a championship-caliber team. They’re really putting it to use this year.”

The Toppers lead the Sun Belt by two and a half games over Middle Tennessee State. Western will face the Blue Raiders in a season-ending three-game series beginning May 14, but senior right fielder Chad Cregar said that this weekend’s match-up with Louisiana-Lafayette might be the most important of the season.

“We’re in the driver’s seat,” he said. “We control our own destiny. This is the biggest series of the year, so hopefully we go in and play the way we have every other weekend of the year.”