In college baseball, Southern teams supposedly have a built-in edge over their counterparts in the North because of the warmer climate and the ability to practice outdoors earlier in the year.

But Dayton coach Tony Vittorio and his players have been doing their best to negate that advantage by working out in frigid February temperatures, even if it means putting up with some sniffling and sneezing until the weather breaks.

“That’s kind of why I’m sick right now,” said Vittorio, who finally broke down Tuesday and got a prescription for flu-like symptoms. “We’ve been outside about seven times, out at the Athletes in Action (facility in Xenia) and battling the weather. Once we get out, we don’t really come back in. Guys would rather be outside than inside.

“We don’t know any different. I’ve always coached Midwestern baseball, and it’s what we do. It’s just who we are. We load up the bus and get down in the Carolinas (for games) the first three weekends and bus back and keeping going. It’s baseball.”

The Flyers have been eager to launch their season after winning their second regular-season Atlantic 10 title in four years and capturing their first conference tourney crown in 2012.

After starting 14-23, they went 17-7 in the A-10. But they have to replace 10 seniors, including five who have started pro careers: pitcher Mike Hauschild and short stop Brian Blasik in the Houston Astros organization, pitcher Burny Mitchem in the St. Louis Cardinals system and outfielders C.J. Gillman and Bobby Glover with the Windy City ThunderBolts in the Independent League.

The Flyers, who begin the season with a four-game series at Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. this weekend, were picked to finish fifth in the A-10.

“I think we’re as skilled if not better skilled than we were a year ago,” Vittorio said. “The question mark is experience. We lost 10 seniors who were an integral part of a championship team. I feel like the returners, though, have done an excellent job of letting me know, ‘We’re your guys, coach.’ “

Ian Hundley, who hit .319 a year ago, Robby Sunderman (.296), A.J. Ryan (.261, 40 RBIs) and Jared Broughton (.255) are top-of-the-order guys. Parker Schrage (4-6, 4.48 ERA) and junior-college transfer Noah Buettgen are the top two starting pitchers.

There is uncertainty elsewhere, but one thing foes can expect is aggressive base-running again. The Flyers led the country in steals last season with 164 in 198 attempts.

“Every year, we’re going to have that type of team whether we have great speed or just average speed,” Vittorio said. “Last year, we just had average speed and led the nation in stolen bases. It is part of our identity. It is who we are. And it’s a really exciting brand of baseball.

“I told the guys just the other day, ‘We’re going to lead the country again in stolen bases,” just to get the mindset that we’re going to do it.”