RAYMOND — High expections have become the norm for Hinds Community College baseball.

The Eagles, ranked eighth nationally by the National Junior College Athletic Association, crank up their season today at Baton Rouge CC for two games. Hinds will have its home opener on Friday at Joe Moss Field against Coahoma and Southeastern Iowa.

Eagles coach Sam Temple, who begins his fifth season at Hinds, said the team’s talent pool has been replenished and the high expectations are warranted. Last year, Hinds was one win away from advancing to the NJCAA’s Divsion II World Series but fell in a deciding game to LSU-Eunice.

“We were first in the state last year,” Temple said. “So there will also be expectations. This year, in all aspects, I feel we can be better. In my first four years, our first nine was generally as good as anybody’s. Just look at the signees that we had. And again this year, we have those elite players, but we have added some talented freshmen to them. We just now have to find those combinations that will work best for us.”

The Eagles got a big boost when they landed Baseball America’s top shortstop in the nation, freshman Travious Relaford, from Union City, Ga,

“He’s really smooth,” said Ryno Martin-Nez of Vicksburg. Martin-Nez helped St. Aloysius to back-to-back state titles in Class 1A and is battling for a starting job at third base.

“We have the top juco shortstop in the nation, Relaford, and that’s a good place to start,” Temple said. “He was going to Alcorn, but needed to go to a junior college and he came to us.”

Pierson Waring, another St. Aloysius product from its two state title teams, will open at second base.

“Waring won the job at second base,” Temple said. “Ryno is looking good at third, but we also have Taylor Bates back.”

Bates, a sophomore, is the lone returning infielder. He hit .322 with 16 RBIs last year.

Catcher is another battle. Two-time Vicksburg Post Player of the Year Stephen Evans is in the mix along with his former teammate, Sean Weaver.

The outfield is headed by former Vicksburg High Gator Trey Prentiss. The sophomore batted .255 with four doubles and five stolen bases. Morris Grant, another returning starter, hit .305 and drove in 23 runs. Prentiss and Grant will switch between center and left. Clinton’s Adam Thigpen and Andrew Gunn will rotate in right while former Warren Central product Darrick White will see time in a defensive role and as a situational base-runner.

Temple felt the pitching staff needed a boost and with the arrival of three Division I players, the talent pool is brimming with talent.

“We still have to figure out our rotation, but for right now, we’ll start Chase Wroten, who comes in from Southern Miss,” Temple said. “We also have Cullen Babin, who was with Nicholls State, but signed this fall with Delta State. We also have Zach LaSuzzo from Monroe who pitched 11 innings last year for LSU.”

Wroten pitched 171⁄3 innings at Southern Miss last year. Michael Porter (3-4, 3.85 ERA in 432⁄3 innings) is lone returning starter for the Eagles.

The bullpen has a local flavor with former Warren Central hurler Jay Harper positioned for a lead role along with former Vicksburg Gator Kurt Cooksey.

“Jay has pitched really well and Kurt, even though, he’s a redshirt, is one of our team captains,” Temple said. “We also have Jacob Thomas of Vicksburg who we will use in left-on-lefty matchups.”