MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Walters State's baseball team enters the 2019-2020 season with experience in the lineup and a young pitching staff and a target on its back. The Senators found out Tuesday they will begin the season ranked No. 3 in the NJCCAA Division I baseball poll.

WSCC has loads of NCAA Division-I signings on their roster as they try and make it back to the NJCAA World Series for the third straight season.

"As long as I am here, our goal is to win the national championship," Walters State coach David Shelton said. "It's been several years since we have achieved that, but that is our goal. I feel like we have the talent with our team this year, but that's only half the battle. They have to show up and do it when the lights are on."

Walters State is coming off a 2018-19 season that saw them finish the year 54-11 overall, 22-4 in conference play, as they reached the NJCAA World Series, finishing in third place. The Senators will have the chance to avenge seven of their losses last season, playing against Chipola, Florida Southwestern State, Spartanburg Methodist, Volunteer and Dyersrburg State

With Ken Campbell Field not able to handle the cold weather early in the season, Walters State starts the season on the road for the first month. The Senators begin with a three-game series against USC Salkehatchie before heading to Florida to take on No. 5-ranked Chipola College and No. 20 Florida Southwestern State.

"Those are two really good teams that we're going to play," Shelton said. "They've won two National Championships in the last three years and were in the World Series last year. Florida Southwestern was ranked top five in the country last year. That's how we're going to get better though, playing teams like them."

The next couple weeks, the Senators go on a tour of South Carolina, playing in Florence, Sumter and Spartanburg. Walters State lost two games to Spartanburg Methodist last season. The Senators will play the Pioneers twice in Spartanburg and in late February and then two at home in early April.

"We play two of the better programs in the stat of South Carolina in Florence-Darlington Tech and USC Sumter," Shelton said. "Spartanburg Methodist is always one of, if not, the best programs in South Carolina. It's going to be a really challenging start to the schedule."

After beginning TCCAA play on the road at Chattanooga State, the Senators finally make their home debut against Macomb Community College on March 1. Walters State plays their first 11 games of March at home, including conference series against Jackson State and Southwest Tennessee.

Winning the TCCAA Regular Season title four of the last five years, the Senators know they'll get everyone's best shot in conference play as they look to win the league and tournament for the third straight year.

"Every weekend in our conference is a dog fight," Shelton said. "It doesn't matter if you're playing the best team in the league or the worst team in the league. They always seem to rise up when they play us and give us their best. That will be challenging."

Walters State will face a handful of new foes this season. The Senators play a home and home against Southwest Virginia, who are entering their first season as a program, and Caldwell, who is also in their inaugural season.

The Jan. 31 season-opening game against USC Salkehatchie is set for a 4 p.m. first pitch, to be followed on Feb. 1 with a doubleheader beginning at noon.