Fresno State baseball coach Mike Batesole has plenty of questions about this year's team.

He's hoping starting pitcher Tyler Linehan isn't one of them.

The sophomore received the nod to be the season-opening starter as the Bulldogs host Butler at 6:05 p.m. today in the first of a four-game series at Beiden Field.

With a fastball that registers in the low-90s and a changeup that keeps hitters off-balance, the left-handed Linehan has shown he has the talent to be the Bulldogs' anchor. In 2010, he was a 14th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners.

But like so much of this year's team outside the starting pitching, Linehan has little experience in the role he's about to take on.

Last year, he was 5-2 with a 4.27 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings -- primarily as the No. 4 starter. Now he'll be asked to outduel opposing aces and set the tone each series.

"Linny has grown into exactly what we'd hoped he'd be," said Batesole, in his 10th season at Fresno State. "Last year he started in the 'pen and got some important outs, then ... worked his way into the rotation, a real weekend starter. That means the next step is 'When can you be the Friday starter?'

"So we're going to run him out and see if he's ready for that."

Senior left-hander Tom Harlan (5-3, 3.84) and senior righty Cody Kendall (6-0, 2.85) are expected to fill out the rotation. Senior Taylor Garrison (2-2, 1.32, three saves), who turned down a chance to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is ticketed to be the closer.

"We've got a lot of experience in our pitching staff," Harlan said. "That's going to help us a lot."

Bigger questions can be found around the diamond and offensively. As many as four freshmen could start today, Batesole said, including the entire left side of the defense. And while Batesole has shown he's willing to be patient with hitters who start slowly, he has trouble tolerating shoddy defense.

Former Clovis North High star Chris Mariscal, for one, will be counted on to stabilize the defense at shortstop.

"I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited to play my first collegiate game," said Mariscal, drafted in the 41st round by Baltimore last summer.

Among the few returning stars are center fielder Aaron Judge and catcher Austin Wynns. Except both must prove they're capable of repeats.

Judge hit .358 with 30 RBIs last season. But he's a sophomore and will move up from seventh in the lineup to third -- the spot often occupied by a team's best hitter.

Wynns, a junior, surprised many with his hitting and his defense after he replaced injured 2010 star Trent Garrison behind the plate. Wynns hit .326 with 21 RBIs a year ago.

Garrison, who went down with a season-ending knee injury after just one game in 2011, hit .339 with five homers and 46 RBIs in 2010. But he isn't expected to play much early on as he continues his rehab. When he does, it likely will be at first base.

Batesole said he hopes to play Garrison more within a month as he increases his comfort level with fielding groundballs and strengthens his knee.

"[I'm] a little more on edge than we've been the last few years," Batesole said. "We've got a lot of new players, not really sure what they're going to do when the lights come on.

"We've done a lot of work, put in a lot of work since August. It's time to play somebody different. I'm not sure what we're ready for or who we're ready for. But for sure, we're ready to play someone different."