It’s an odd-number year, so that means the UT Tyler Patriots softball team will be headed to the College World Series.

Coach Mike Reed and his Patriots wish it was that easy. Hard-work and dedication helped the Patriots achieve World Series berths in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

They hope they can etch 2015 on the outfield wall at Suddenlink Field.

It all starts on Sunday as the Patriots play host to Texas Lutheran in a doubleheader. The first game is slated to start at noon.

The Patriots begin 2015 ranked No. 6 in the nation in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

Last year, UT Tyler had one of the most impressive seasons in program history, going 41-6, while winning the American Southwest Conference regular season and championship tournament titles, the third in program-history.

This year, the Patriots welcome back a host of players that contributed last season, including pitcher Kelsie Batten, a second-team All-American in 2014, going 28-5 with a 0.99 ERA.

Vanessa Carrizales (.403 avg, 3 HR) and Jackie Mendez (.374 avg, 11 HR) also return for their junior seasons.

Head coach Mike Reed enters his 11th season as head coach of the Patriots, boasting a 370-93 record.

Last season’s national champion Tufts (Massachusetts) (47-4) is the preseason No. 1 ranked team, while UT Tyler is in a tie for sixth with Trine (Indiana) (43-6) at No. 6.

Just ahead of the Patriots are No. 2 Salisbury (Maryland), No. 3 East Texas Baptist, No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 5 Christopher Newport (Virginia).

The College World Series is May 21-26 in Salem, Virginia.

The Patriots are also favored to repeat as American Southwest Conference champions.

The league’s head coaches and sports information directors each tallied a vote in this year’s poll, and the Patriots received 17 of the available 27 first-place votes.

ETBU is picked second, followed by Mary Hardin-Baylor, Louisiana College, Hardin-Simmons, UT Dallas, Concordia-Texas, LeTourneau, Howard Payne, Sul Ross State and Ozarks.

The Patriots are also home the weekend of Feb. 13-14 as Sul Ross State visits (DH on Feb. 13 and single game on Feb. 14).