There seems to be a little more warmth in the air along the banks of the Cape Cod Canal these days, and that can mean only one thing.

The start of another Buccaneer baseball season is right around the corner.

Head Coach Bob Corradi enters his 38^th campaign at Massachusetts Maritime with a boatload of experience, as 16 letterwinners from last year's squad that amassed 12 victories, including the venerable veteran mentor's 500^th career triumph, are back in the fold in 2010, as just as hope springs eternal, the spring brings hope, excitement and enthusiasm for this year's edition of the Buccaneers.

As he has done throughout his nearly four-decade long tenure at the Academy, Corradi will look to four of his veterans to provide leadership for this year's squad, as he has tabbed seniors Joe Albano (Agawam, Mass./Loomis Chaffee), David Hike (Riverview, Fla./Riverview) and Tim Moore (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown), along with junior Nick Levitre (Grafton, Mass./Grafton), as Massachusetts Maritime's captains for the coming campaign.  Corradi, who became the 29^th active coach in NCAA Division III play to reach the 500-victory plateau (now with 505 overall) last April, describes this quartet as "hard-working, disciplined and respectful of the game and how it should be played.  I know they will instill all of the qualities that a Buccaneer baseball player needs to possess and demonstrate on a daily basis in all of their teammates."

Here's a look at how things are shaping up at Hendy Field for the 2010 season:

INFIELD.  Three Buccaneers return to help anchor the infield spots, as juniors Corey Murphy (East Wareham, Mass./Wareham), Wil Rodriguez (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and Michael Vargas (Natick, Mass./Marian) return at first, second and third bases, respectively.  Murphy batted .268 with three doubles and 10 RBI in 2009, while Rodriguez hit at a .317 clip with six two-baggers and 16 RBI.  Vargas, who rotated between third and shortstop last spring, checked in at .269 with three doubles and seven RBI, and fellow junior Brad Musk (Dania, Fla./South Broward) returns after being limited to seven games due to injury, as he will look to fill the void at shortstop left by the graduation of all-MASCAC and all-New England standout Mark Mozelak.

Junior Andrew Saari (Framingham, Mass./Marian) gained valuable experience in a reserve role last season for Massachusetts Maritime, as he batted .368 in 13 contests, while sophomore Kyle Armstrong (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) moves to the infield this spring after batting .333 with a pair of doubles and seven RBI in 19 games as a catcher during his rookie campaign.  A pair of newcomers will look to impact the Bucs' fortunes in 2010, as freshmen Tyler Genereux (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) and  Zachary Sullivan (Barnstable, Mass./Barnstable) will be vying for spots in the lineup.

OUTFIELD.  Albano is the leading returning hitter for Corradi overall and is back in the starting outfield lineup, as he batted .339 with six doubles, a triple, one homer and 12 RBI last spring.  Junior Ross Hickey (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable), who also serves in the designated hitter role with Levitre, will also be vying for a spot in the outfield after batting .310 with three doubles and 10 RBI in 26 games, while freshmen Kyle Steek (Wareham, Mass./Upper Cape), Paul Furtado (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) and Aram Mulhern (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) will be looking to fill the third outfield position that was vacated with the graduation of all-MASCAC performer Tyler Spofford.

PITCHER.  Corradi welcomes back a pair of all-MASCAC lefties in Hike and Levitre to anchor the Massachusetts Maritime rotation in 2010, as Hike led the Buccaneers with four victories to go with a 4.12 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings of work.  Levitre led the staff with a 3.86 ERA while posting three wins and 46 strikeouts in 42 innings, as he and Hike combined for five of the Bucs' six saves last spring.  Murphy notched a pair of victories in six starts while fanning 38 in 32 1/3 innings of work, while the tandem of junior Neil Patnaude (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) and sophomore Jared Lowe (Brimfield, Mass./Tantasqua Regional) lend additional experience after posting a victory each in 15 combined appearances.  Moore, along with junior Greg Wiggin (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) and sophomores Mark Backstrom (East Taunton, Mass./Taunton) and Louis Ottino III (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South), combined for 22 appearances in 2009 (including 10 alone by Ottino) and provide additional depth for Corradi's crew, while Genereux, Mulhern and fellow freshmen Patrick Derrane (Utica, N.Y./New Hartford) and Jacob Gregg (St. Petersburg, Fla./Admiral Farragut) will be vying for spots in the Massachusetts Maritime rotation as well.

CATCHER.  Sophomore William Shouldice (Rutland, Vt./Mount Saint Joseph) is the top returning backstop for the Buccaneers, as he batted .237 in 17 games with a double, triple, home run and 10 RBI, while Rodriguez will be in Corradi's catching mix along with freshman Hunter Horton (Wareham, Mass./Wareham).

Another season along the shores of Buttermilk Bay beckon for Bob Corradi's Buccaneers, and if experience and enthusiasm translate into success, it could be a very memorable one for Massachusetts Maritime, which begins the campaign on Saturday, February 27^th with a non-league outing against Ferrum in Fort Pierce, Fla. at 7:00 p.m. EST.