Rain forced the Bishop Chatard baseball team into its auxiliary gymnasium Monday, but it didn't dampen the players' enthusiasm.

Coach Mike Harmon ran the triangle drill, sending a player after successive pop flies toward two corners of the gym, then rushing to the middle for a short flip that often required a diving attempt.

Each successful circus catch brought a cheer.

Bishop Chatard returns seven seniors from the school's first sectional championship in a decade and is ranked eighth in preseason by the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association, so the players plan to enjoy every moment of this season.

"We've always had a good team, but I don't know if they really ever expected to make a deep (playoff) run," Harmon said. "In football, the expectations are, 'We're playing on Thanksgiving Saturday.' They probably got tired of me harping on them last year, but I didn't see those expectations (in baseball) and there was no reason.

"They bought into that (last season). (Outfielder/quarterback) Rob Doyle said, 'Winning that sectional in baseball was every bit as exciting as winning state in football.' I said, 'Let's not stop there.' "

The Trojans return eight players from the starting lineup and most of the pitching staff from a 19-11 team that lost to Yorktown -- the preseason No. 2 in Class 3A -- 2-1 in eight innings in regionals.

"You don't like to dwell on the past, but it hurt," senior catcher Scott Mourey said of the regional loss. "You go into that game, you're excited to be at home with a bunch of fans, and you lose a real close one.

"I've been thinking all offseason about how much I want that again and how much I want to fight to go further."

Top returning hitters are four-year varsity players Mourey (.465, nine doubles, two home runs, 32 runs, 39 RBIs), first baseman John Dury (.500, 17 doubles, five home runs, 40 runs, 38 RBIs) and second baseman Billy White (.318). Doyle (.315, 29 RBIs), shortstop Hunter Groves and reserve outfielder/pitcher Will Zander are among other seniors returning.

The offense also will rely on junior third baseman Bobby Akin (.310, 30 runs), sophomore outfielder Taylor Agnew (.348, 26 runs, 20 RBIs, nine stolen bases) and junior outfielder Shawn Nickleson (27 runs).

Bishop Chatard doesn't have a prototypical ace -- it had one complete game last season -- but senior Michael Zimmerman emerged as the top starter, going 6-1 with a 3.31 ERA. White established himself as the closer, pitching a team-high 431/3 innings and going 2-2 with three saves and a 3.56 ERA. Doyle (3-2, 4.20), Akin, Dury, Groves and Agnew could see time on the mound.

"We don't have the one dominant, clear-cut No. 1 guy, but that's OK," Harmon said. "We have a lot of guys that can get on the mound and understand how to pitch. That's half the battle in high school."

Seventh-ranked Brebeuf Jesuit replaces what had been a senior-dominated Whiteland team in the sectional, which also includes Beech Grove, Howe, Northwest and Roncalli.

"After what we went through last year, all the players have picked it up so much," Dury said. "I feel like we've got a chance to do a lot of damage."