UC Irvine took a huge step forward last season when it was ranked No. 1 for several weeks during the regular season.

The Anteaters hope to seal the deal with a national title in 2010.

Despite earning a national seed in '09, the Anteaters drew the nation's toughest regional that included defending champion Fresno State, Virginia and San Diego State. There was plenty of controversy surrounding the NCAA's decision to give the 'Eaters that draw.

Reflecting on last season, the 'Eaters still are disappointed with the NCAA's decision. But the fact of the matter is they still failed to win the regional with a tough title game loss to red-hot Virginia.

Now the 'Eaters hope to turn the page and get back to Omaha with a team littered with veterans both at the plate and on the mound.

There's no reason why UC Irvine shouldn't be in the mix for the national title in '10.

It's time to dissect the 'Eaters.

UC Irvine's five keys

1. Use last season as motivation -- There's no question the Anteaters feel like they were given the shaft with a tough regional draw as a national seed last season. Some would say the Anteaters need to fully move on, but I say they should use it as motivation for the upcoming season. This is a veteran team filled with key players. Extra motivation is something that could help this team do even better than its 45-15 record last season. Irvine has its sights firmly set on reaching the College World Series. Either way, though, it'll never forget its tough regional draw last season.

2. Move on without shortstop Ben Orloff -- What an impressive player Orloff was both on and off the field throughout his UC Irvine career. Orloff was one of the nation's best defensive shortstops for a few seasons. He also did a nice job at the plate. But perhaps most important about Orloff's departure is the fact he was such an inspirational leader. Orloff and a few other players essentially carried the program for a couple months when Dave Serrano left for Cal State Fullerton. It takes a special player to do something like that. The Anteaters certainly will miss Orloff, but just how much? We'll find out the answer to that question sooner rather than later.

3. Weekend rotation needs to meet expectations -- There's a huge reason Irvine is very confident about its weekend rotation. It's the return of ace pitcher Danny Bibona in addition to Christian Bergman and Crosby Slaught. Bibona's return this fall was a huge surprise to many. The talented left-hander tallied All-American-like numbers last season. He went 12-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 106 innings. He also struck out 108 and walked 26 and held opposing teams to a .209 batting average. Bergman, meanwhile, went 9-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 97 2/3 innings. He also struck out 66 and walked 16 and held opposing teams to a .288 batting average. There also is Slaught, who compiled a 4.62 ERA in 76 innings last season. Teams hit him at a .297 clip. Slaught certainly could improve in the spring, but it doesn't get much better than the one-two punch of Bibona and Bergman.

4. Establish more pitching depth -- The weekend rotation and key roles in the bullpen are in good hands, but the Anteaters could use more depth. Irvine welcomes back top relievers Eric Pettis and Kyle Necke. Pettis made 29 appearances last season and had a 3.86 ERA in 42 innings. He also recorded 17 saves. Necke, meanwhile, made 18 appearances and had a 4.50 ERA in 34 innings. Teams hit just .260 off him. Without key relievers Brock Bardeen, Noel Avison and Matt Dufour, the 'Eaters need others to rise to the occasion in the spring. That includes sophomore Nick Hoover, freshman Kyle Hopper and a host of others. This team will be flawless if the bullpen answers some questions.

5. Live up to the hype at the plate -- Even without shortstop Ben Orloff, the Anteaters have a golden opportunity to have a very potent offense. They finished last season with an impressive .317 batting average and could best that mark in the spring. The 'Eaters welcome back six hitters that finished last season with batting averages better than .300. The list includes Ronnie Shaeffer, Tommy Reyes, Casey Stevenson, Ryan Fisher, Cory Olson and Francis Larson. The 'Eaters also welcome back Jeff Cusick, D.J. Crumlich, Dillon Bell and Sean Madigan. There's a wealth of experience with this set of hitters. That should be a determining factor in their success come spring.