Having most of their weekend starters returning is part of what gives Triplett and the rest of the Bulldogs plenty of swagger heading into the season.
“This isn’t about what we did last year, it’s about building on what we’ve already done,” said senior infielder Aryan Patel, who hit .277 in 2025. “We were so close to getting there last year and to have it taken away from us like that left a bad taste in our mouths that I know will help us this season.
“This is a great group of guys, really talented, and as long we keep our game simple I think we’re going to have a really good year.”
The return of Friday night starter Will Holmes should help bolster the Bulldogs’ pitching staff. Holmes, who missed most of the season with an elbow injury, made just five appearances in 2025 but went 3-0 with an 0.72 earned run average and 25 strikeouts in 25 innings.
“I feel great. The medical staff did a great job of getting me ready for the season,” Holmes said. “Our pitching staff is as talented as any I’ve been around. We’ve got some older guys that have been in the program for a while and some younger guys that will help us as well this season. We’re a lot deeper than we were last season.”
Triplett didn’t do himself any favors with the schedule this spring.
The Bulldogs will face ACC power Florida State and SEC program Kentucky, who advanced to the CWS in 2024, in a pair of weekend series.
The Citadel will also take on South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia and Coastal Carolina, which made it to the CWS championship series last summer.
“Whoever made the schedule probably needs to be fired,” Triplett said with a chuckle. “We want to put ourselves in situations where we can compete at a high level. The more uncomfortable situations you put yourself in, the better you will become.
“The schedule is going to be a challenge. We’ve talked about it as a program, but at the end of the day, we can’t so much worry about the other team as what we’re doing. I hope the players have looked at the schedule, and now they better be prepared, or there are going to be some rough days.”