MURRAY — Preseason practice opened for Murray State’s baseball team Tuesday afternoon at Johnny Reagan Field.

In past years, this description probably would have been met with very little fanfare. After all, it is still the second week of January, so baseball is not on everyone’s minds, although the occasion was met with unseasonably pleasant weather conditions, sunny skies and 60s-degree temperatures. 

More familiar conditions are forecast to arrive as the week continues. However, that will do little to dampen enthusiasm of players and fans alike. The reason for the different feel in the air Tuesday could be seen on the right-field wall.

There, in white letters, read two separate events, and the history of the Racer program in them. One was for the NCAA Championship, where Murray State has now played in three of those tournaments. And there is one more event displayed, one that was not necessary until last year —the College World Series. 

“It fires me up to do it again,” said Murray State Head Coach Dan Skirka, as he met with area media Tuesday after the first practice session had concluded, when he was asked about the new decor on the wall. 

However, this practice, as well as the ones this team — consisting of 21 newcomers — had in the fall, are not designed around returning to Omaha. Throughout the Racers’ incredible run a year ago, Skirka always preached about something that came to be known as the”process.” And that is not changing.

Focusing on the basics first was the driver in a record-setting 44-17 season that resulted in the program’s first-ever Missouri Valley Conference title, as well as the subsequent NCAA Regional and Super Regional crowns that followed in Oxford, Mississippi (home of 2022 CWS champion Mississippi) and  Durham, North Carolina (Duke). 

One of the returners from last year’s team — first baseman Luke Mistone — seemed to give the perfect synopsis of what is needed for this team to continue the success it captured in ‘25. 

“If we just look to get back to Omaha, we’re going to get it done … it’s the everyday,” Mistone said, clearly enjoying Tuesday’s weather,  before turning to what will hit the team the rest of the week. 

“The cold … you’ve got to practice in the cold  to get it done because that is big part of it.”

Last year’s pitching ace — Nic Schutte —seemed to take an extra step in this assessment.

“It’s about just going back to the drawing board and sticking to my process … doing all  of the boring work behind the scenes. People think it kind of gets old after a while but, sticking to that process is what makes it happen,” said Schutte, who along with Mistone, is in a vast minority of players on this year’s team who stepped foot on the grass of Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. 

He and Mistone join starting shortstop Conner Cunningham, utility man Charlie Jury, pitchers Jacob Hustedde, Kane Elmy, Derek LeBron, Ethan Lyke, Reese Oakley, Graham Kelham and Preston Chaudoin as players that had roles in the postseason run.