By Jeff Price
The Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The Miami Hurricanes made a triumphant return to the College World Series in Omaha last season, a year after the program's worst record in more than 30 years.

The Hurricanes lasted three games. Miami leaves again for Omaha today, and plans to hang around a bit longer this time.

"Going out there last year, it was kind of like our season was a success just making it there," said first baseman Jim Burt, who was on Miami's last title team in 2001. "But this year, nothing less than the championship is going to be a successful season for us."

The Hurricanes (49-11) have reason for optimism with Saturday's opener against LSU (46-17) just days away. Nearly the entire roster is back, including seven starters in the field and all three starting pitchers from last year.

The veteran Hurricanes cruised through most of the season, losing just one three-game series before continuing their dominance in the postseason. The Hurricanes routed their regional competition by a combined score of 44-14 before sweeping archrival Florida in the super regionals last weekend.

"We're peaking at the right time," left-hander J.D. Cockroft said.

Last year's Omaha struggles aren't far from the team's thoughts, however. Miami entered last year's World Series looking for their fifth title, but were humbled twice by defending champ Texas, which outscored Miami 18-3.

Outfielder Richard Giannotti, a junior, remembers the feeling in the locker room following the team's elimination.

"That's when we first started saying that we can't let that happen again," Giannotti said. "We knew we were pretty much going to have the same exact team back. We knew we had a chance to come back and win it."

Even with the veteran lineup, injuries and suspensions threatened to spoil Miami's season.

In April, Morris kicked reliever Shawn Valdes-Fauli and closer George Huguet, the school's career saves leader, off the team for still undisclosed rule violations. The move could have crippled the bullpen, but the Hurricanes prospered despite the losses.

Freshman Danny Gil filled in for Huguet, going 8-0 with a 3.11 ERA out of the bullpen, including five saves.

"That was a big blow," Gil said of the suspensions. "But everybody's seemed to pick it up in a time of need."

Injuries caused five starters to miss time during the season, but two freshmen - left fielder Jon Jay and shortstop Roger Tomas - stepped in and the Hurricanes hardly missing a beat.

Jay is hitting .364 in the leadoff spot while Tomas is batting .305 with just five errors in 30 starts on the left side of the infield.

"Our freshmen aren't playing like freshmen, they're playing like veterans out there," Burt said. "Roger and Jon Jay pretty much carried us (in the super regionals)."

Another first-year player, right-handed starter Cesar Carrillo (11-0, 2.73 ERA), joins Cockroft (9-4, 3.41), Brandon Camardese (6-2, 3.86) and Dan Touchet (5-1, 3.69) in a talented rotation.

With players like Burt - who tops the team with a .373 average, 14 homers and 72 RBI - leading the lineup, Miami is ready to prove that last year's Omaha appearance was just a glimpse.

"A lot of the guys are confident and saying that that if we don't win it's going to be a disappointment," catcher Erick San Pedro said. "We expect to win."