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Auburn head coach Clint Myers points to a runner on first base Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

From the cluttered desk in his office in Auburn's McWhorter Center, Clint Myers can look out the window and see the outfield at Jane B. Moore Field, complete with a new PA system and a new videoboard that might be the biggest in college softball.

Myers, heading into his second season as Auburn's softball coach, has big plans for that field. A playground out beyond left field, a place fans can bring their kids to play. Picnic tables under the trees, extra bleachers in the outfield.

Auburn pitcher Kasey Cooper (13) bats against Missouri Saturday, April 12, 2014, at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

And wins. A whole lot of wins. Enough wins that Myers sees a future when fans won't be able to sit down at Jane B. Moore without a season ticket.

Myers, headed into his second season at Auburn, thinks those wins might be coming sooner than most people seem to think for a Tigers softball team picked to finish seventh in the SEC.

"We step onto the field, our expectations are the same, and that's to get to the College World Series and have that chance to play for that national championship," Myers said last week. "We're not superstitious. We'll talk about it."

Some coaches set lofty goals like Auburn's without any knowledge of Oklahoma City.

Myers has the resume to back it up.

He's already got two national title rings, one of which he's usually wearing on his right hand. In eight seasons at Arizona State, his teams made seven appearances in the Women's College World Series.

In his first season at Auburn, Myers guided the Tigers to 42 wins, tied for the second-most in school history, and within one game of Auburn's first-ever Super Regional appearance.

And he's got all of his key pieces back. The biggest difference between last year and this year might be as simple as this: Now the players believe the Women's College World Series is in reach, too.

"We believe this year," third baseman Kasey Cooper said. "Last year, Coach came in and told us 'we're going to Oklahoma City,' and we were all like 'OK.' ... This year, everybody knew."

Cooper is one part of a quartet that made Auburn the SEC's best offense last season. The reigning National Freshman of the Year, Cooper hit .418 with 18 homers and 77 RBI. Right fielder Branndi Melero batted .404 with 15 homers and a school-record 78 RBI. Emily Carosone, Auburn's leadoff hitter, is back after setting a school record with a .560 on-base percentage, nine homers and an SEC-record 33 hit-by-pitches.

All three were named All-Americans last season and earned preseason All-SEC honors this year. Throw in Morgan Estell, who hit .362 and often batted cleanup, and the Tigers had the SEC's most devastating top of the order.

The problem was that the bottom of the lineup didn't always hold up its end of the bargain.

"We had four kids offensively that really came around and had phenomenal years," Myers said. "This year, we're hoping to have 7,8, 9 of them that have truly bought in and understand."

Auburn adds the services of Haley Fagan, a South Alabama transfer who sat out last season after earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors in 2013 and instantly gives the Tigers another big bat.

But another year in Myers' system -- he uses an advanced system of preparation and swing adjustments Auburn had never used before -- has also paid dividends with a couple of returners. Slap hitter Tiffany Howard has taken over the leadoff spot from Carosone due to her speed and an .800 on-base percentage in the fall, Jade Rhodes looks like she might be ready to move into Melero and Cooper's class as a threat for power and average and the Tigers boast arguably the nation's best defensive shortstop in Kelsey Bogaards.

Auburn led the country in defense last season.

If the Tigers can get elite pitching from returners Lexi Davis, Marcy Harper, an improved Jade Abbott and Radford transfer Rachael Walters, the Tigers will be a force in SEC play.

Davis and Harper had to carry the whole load last season. When Harper went down with an injury in the regional, it left Davis in a bad spot.

"Having the ability to throw four pitchers out there and feel comfortable is huge compared to what we were able to do last year," Myers said.

Auburn might not have realized what it was capable of doing last February, but by the time the Tigers reached the regional final against Minnesota, the team expected a program-changing win.

But the nation's best defensive team made three uncharacteristic errors and coughed up a 6-3 lead.

"I always have that game in the back of my head a little bit," Melero said. "When we get there this year, we can say, we've been here before, this is how we win."

Auburn opens its season on Thursday night against Troy.

The Tigers expect this season to end in unprecedented territory.