The ping of aluminum against leather and the slap of skin against the glove can only mean one thing: it is baseball season.

The Sacramento State baseball team goes into the 2010 campaign with the added incentive of sending legendary head coach John Smith out on top.

This season is the last in Smith’s soon-to-be 32-year career as the head coach. Heading into this season, he has won 861 games for the Hornets and had 16 winning seasons.

Stepping into Smith’s shoes for next season is associate head coach Reggie Christiansen.

“It’s no different than the previous 31,” Smith said. “I think about it from time to time, but it’s not something I focused on or worried about.”

Adding fuel to the fire for the Hornets’ players is the fact that they were picked to finish last in the Western Athletic Conference by the coaches.

The Hornets return 13 lettermen from a team that won 27 games last year, the most of any Sac State team since 2003. However, they must replace a few big holes on the roster.

“Justin Lamb, Brett Hottman, Josh Powers, Derrick Chung, Brandon Sandoval, Jesse Darrah and the rest of the veterans are going to get the first crack at maintaining their position,” Smith said. “I have a lot of faith in those guys to carry on the tradition and bring the other guys along with them.”

Among those key departures for the Hornets are Tim Wheeler, who was selected in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft and Blake Crosby, who was selected in the later rounds.

Also gone from last year’s roster are Hunter Martinez and Jeff Roth. Among those four alone, the Hornets lose 38 home runs and 191 RBI.

Seventeen players will make their debuts with the Hornets, including eight pitchers. However, a lot of young, talented players are returning to the green and gold this season.

“We have a lot of new faces,” Smith said. “We have a lot of freshmen and a lot of JC guys who have never played a Division I game before. Until we play 10 or 15 games, I really don’t know honestly how we are going to do this season.”

In the infield, Powers will make the move from third base to first base this year. Last year, Powers also finished second on the single-season list with 26 doubles. Chung also returns to shortstop after starting 51 games there last season.

Lamb hit 11 home runs last season as a freshman, the most since the Hornets moved to Division I. Lamb will likely be used primarily as a designated hitter but could see time in the infield and at catcher.

At catcher, Hottman returns after a sophomore campaign where he saw a lot of time behind the plate.

In the outfield, the Hornets are looking at new starters at all three positions. Junior Trevor Bloom, who transferred from College of the Canyons, will likely be a candidate at one of the starting spots after being named to the Southern California All-American team by the California Community College Athletic Association last season.

Smith said Christiansen is an excellent hitting coach, which is one area the Hornets are looking to improve upon.

“He is outstanding in recognizing what guys’ weaknesses are and what their strengths are and building on those areas,” Smith said.

Led by preseason All-WAC selection Darrah, pitching seems to be a strength. He was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team last season after posting a 9-2 record, becoming the team’s first freshman All-American during the Division I era.

Also returning to the pitching staff are right-hander Sandoval and left-hander Tommy Elrod. Sandoval finished second on the team last year in strikeouts. Elrod will also add depth to an experienced group of pitchers. Third last season in innings, Elrod had his best game against Utah Valley, where he pitched 8 1/3 innings and struck out a career-high eight batters.

“It’s hard to say right now what are strengths are,” he said. “All we have been able to do is play inter-squad games. One day I think our pitching is a little strong than another day I think our hitting is a little stronger.”

Another thing that could work in the Hornets favor is the schedule. For much of the first part of the season they are on the road. But many of the players will be facing a more brutal and longer schedule than they are used to coming from high school or junior college.

“A 56-game season is a grind. It is not high school or junior college,” he said. “Once we start, there is no letup. We are on the road a lot early. Early in the year it is going to be more difficult because of the travel schedule.”

But Smith said this season has a chance to be memorable.

“If attitude and approach and work ethic and desire have any bearing on it, we have a chance to be pretty special, because they have worked their tail off,” Smith said. “We have changed the culture a little bit, that’s part of the reason we have so many new faces. We wanted to flush out some of the bad attitudes we have had the past couple years and go with some younger faces and develop them the way we want them to develop. I think the chemistry on this team is good and that is an important factor.”

While this season will be the last in Smith’s storied career, he sees a lot of potential in Christiansen to take the program to the next level.

“He brings a lot of youth to the program. He is young and energetic and very knowledgeable,” Smith said. “He is one of the finest young coaches in America right now. He has a proven track record. He was the youngest head coach in America at the D-I level while at South Dakota State. He has a chance to be a pretty special coach and he has proven to be everything I thought he would be.

Smith said his decision to retire was easier when Christiansen was brought in.

“I wasn’t going to retire until I knew the program was going in the right direction. I feel good about stepping down and I know the program is in great hands; without a question,” Smith said.

Ross Coleman can be reached at [email protected]