Georgia Southern is a paradox: A young but experienced club.

At least offensively.

That is what Hawai'i will face when it opens a three-game series with the Eagles starting Thursday at Les Murakami Stadium.

"We were really young last year and if you look at the core of our team, we're still relatively young," Eagles' eighth-year coach Rodney Hennon said. "We started four true freshmen everyday, went through some growing pains last year. But we're hoping that's going to pay dividends this season. I feel like we've got a great core to build around in our program this year and the next couple years."

The Eagles, picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference by Baseball America, return seven position players with six of them having batted .303 or higher. Despite their youth, and a team earned run average of 5.81, the Eagles still posted a winning record (31-27) and tied for third (16-11) in conference.

"We expect them to be a very good club offensively," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Pitching-wise, they did not pitch great, as far as their numbers. But most of those guys who had the lion's share of those innings are gone. They're high on some recruits they brought in and think they'll be much improved on the mound. This is going to be a good team."

The four freshmen starters last year were third baseman Chris Shehan (.350, 33 RBIs), outfielder Matt Miller (.351, 39 runs), shortstop Brian Pierce (.236) and catcher Griffin Benedict (.303, 5 HRs, 35 RBIs), son of former Atlanta Braves catcher Bruce Benedict.

The experienced returning starters are outfielders Mike Economos (.310, 8 HRs, 51 RBIs) and Chris Hollis (.324, 47 runs).

"The two seniors in the outfield give us a good mix," Hennon said.

The Eagles lost two junior starting pitchers to the draft. But the staff got a boost from 6-foot-5 sophomore right-hander Drew Murray (2-6, 5.50 ERA), a transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, where he logged 52 2/3 innings. He starts Friday.

Saturday's starter is freshman right-hander Brian Wilkerson, whom Hennon is high on.

"He has a great future," Hennon said. "It's just a matter of getting him game experience."

Senior left-hander Josh Lairsey starts Thursday's opener.

Hawai'i is the first of three opponents that made the regionals last year who will play the Eagles, who host Georgia Tech next week and then travel to Jacksonville.

Hawai'i will start left-handers Ian Harrington (1-0) and Mark Rodrigues (1-0) the first two games. Saturday's starter will be determined after the first two games, a likely trend throughout the season, Trapasso said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.