Chico >> Perhaps the surest sign of the Chico State baseball team’s excellence is that the Wildcats have made the extraordinary seem nearly routine.

Once again, the Wildcats reached the Division II College World Series last year, a feat they’ve accomplished nine times in the past 18 seasons including twice in the last three years.

Now, they want more even more, determined not only on making another trip to the College World Series, but this time they want to extend their stay.

“As a group, collectively, this year we’re ready to go,” senior pitcher Luke Barker said. “We want to go back to North Carolina. We want to win a game and not go 0 and 2 again. That desire is there.”

Chico State has played for the NCAA D-II Championship four times and won two national titles in 1997 and ’99. Last year, the Wildcats went 43-15, including 29-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, finishing second behind Sonoma State (24-8).

Despite several accolades, both for the team and individuals, Chico State head coach Dave Taylor wants the Wildcats to focus on being good every day. The rest will take care of itself.

“On paper, it’s definitely one of the most talented groups of returners we’ve had. A lot of the guys had not just good years last year, but great years,” said Taylor in his ninth year after serving as the team’s top assistant and pitching coach from 1997-2004. “The automatic mistake is for guys to try to duplicate that. Sometimes guys get too far out in front of themselves. This is a new year. They just have to control what they can on their own and not worry about people talking about how they should be the best shortstop in the country or the best closer in the country.

“We just need them to be good every day to give us a chance to have a great season,” he said.

Taylor is not the only one to see the Wildcats’ potential. Chico State was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the CCAA title and ranked eighth nationally in the preseason.

The shortstop Taylor mentioned is Cody Slader, the NCAA Division II Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. He’s one of nine retuning Wildcats to earn postseason honors.

Barker earned All-America first-team honors after leading the nation and setting a Chico State record with 18 saves. Slader and starting pitcher Brad Lohse were All-America honorable mentions.

Catcher Peter Miller was an All-West Region second-teamer. Infielders Dylan Garcia and Tyler Madrid and reliever Robert Hook joined Barker, Slader, Lohse and Miller in receiving All-CCAA accolades. Danny Miller and Connor Huesers were named to the NCAA Championship West Regional all-tourney team. The Wildcats return 16 letter-winners in all, including four starting position players and seven pitchers.

“We have a lot of depth on the mound, versatility on the infield and offensive options,” said Taylor, who is 309-145 in eight seasons in charge of the Chico State program. “February will be a time for us to figure out who is going to fit into what role.”

The Wildcats will have a little less time to figure that out. Chico State was supposed to open the season with a four-game home series against Saint Martin’s this past weekend. Instead, Mother Nature stepped in with enough rain to cancel the series before it began. The Wildcats open on the road for a three-game set Friday and Saturday at Fresno Pacific and then start their CCAA schedule with a four-game series at Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 20-22. The home opener will now be a 2 p.m. Friday contest on Feb. 27 against Sonoma State.

The rain came in handy for one Wildcat. Slader had been ill, but he said he was starting to feel better and planned to play in this weekend’s games at Fresno Pacific.

Barker figures to be the foundation of the pitching staff. A successful starter as a freshman, he spent the past two seasons in the bullpen. He ranks third in school history in appearances and saves and eighth all-time in strikeouts. But after putting together one of the best seasons in relief in school history, he’ll likely start his senior season as the Wildcats’ Friday night starter, taking over for his friend and teammate, Nick Baker, whose own stellar four-year career was capped when the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him.

Barker, though, has noticed in an uptick in those on the mound so far and those at the plate.

“We’ve got some guys that have some velo, which is something we haven’t had in a while,” he said. “But offensively, we’re going to be a threat. The last few years we’ve had to scrap a little bit and put stuff together. But this year, we’re going to score some runs.”

Lohse, a Pleasant Valley High graduate like Barker, could slot into the Friday starring role should Taylor move Barker back to the bullpen. Lohse was the CCAA Newcomer of the Year, going 8-0 last season, setting a school record with four complete-game shutouts and posting a 1.94 ERA — seventh lowest in school history.

“I just had a 100 percent trust in my defense, and our hitters were putting up runs so it took a lot of pressure off being a pitcher,” Lohse said. “It was a good atmosphere to pitch in. We have a great ballpark to pitch in, and coach knows what’s he doing with the pitches.”

True freshman Hunter Haworth has also won a job in the starting rotation.

“He’s got a chance to follow in Baker’s footsteps as a four-year starter for us. He just needs to let the defense play for him,” Taylor said.

That hasn’t been a problem with the pitchers returning as they marvel and appreciate having Slader behind them.

“He’s amazing to have back there. I mean anything to his left is pretty much going to be an out,” Barker said

Lohse echoed the sentiment.

“You know every time they hit a ground ball, it’s going to first,” he said.

The fourth starting spot might belong to sophomore Clayton Gelfand. Ryan O’Shea, San Jose State senior transfer Jace Puckett, 2014 All-West Region reliever Hook, returning part-time starters Derek Sesma and Alex Mistuloff, and transfer Andy Burschinger are other candidates for starts.

The continuity Hooks brings to the bullpen may be more valuable to Taylor’s staff, however.

“Without Robert last year, I don’t think we get on a plane late in the year. He was that valuable,” Taylor said. “Not having Luke at the back end at least to start the season, at least we’ll have the bridge at the back end.”

Torgen Soderlund (2-2 with two saves and a 1.83 ERA last season at Gateway Community College) could start the season as the closer. Taylor expects Robert Engels, lefty A.J. Epstein and Youngstown State transfer Kurt Laver, another PV High grad, to have roles in the bullpen.

Catching will again be Peter Miller, a backstop who has drawn rave reviews for his receiving abilities as he helped direct the pitching staff to a 2.77 ERA.

“He’s the commander of our team basically, and Slader at short those are two huge pieces,” Lohse said. “I don’t see us lacking in any position as long as we play the game right and do what we’re supposed to do.”

Second base is still to be determined while at third base, Garcia provides the best offensive upside after hitting .330 last season. Madrid manned first base in 21 games for the Wildcats last season, hitting a team-best five home runs.

There are jobs to be won in the outfield, too. Left fielder Danny Miller and Huesers, in right, finished 2014 strong and hope to build on that momentum. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo transfer Alex Michaels is a prolific newcomer after hitting .360 over parts of three seasons with the Mustangs.

Huesers is penciled into the leadoff spot in the batting order.

“One through nine, we’re going to be strong,” Barker said.

The new flat-seem baseball is another interesting newcomer. All three NCAA divisions went to the new ball this year, hoping to infuse a few more home runs and interest.

Even if the equipment has changed, the Wildcats are counting on those who haven’t.

“The guys we have back are leading us in the right direction,” said Barker, who could count himself as one.

Barker grew up around the program and joined it after starring for the Pleasant Valley High baseball team and Chico Nuts’ American Legion baseball program. He’s has been looking forward to his senior season for some time.

“I feel good about being able to help some of our younger guys understand what it’s like to be a Wildcat,” Barker said. “Do what we do best and that’s go to the World Series.”

Connect with Sports Writer Joseph Shufelberger at 896-7774.