The strenuous tasks are for the middle of this McNeese State batting order, one rife with experience and power potential.

“Let them do all the hard work, which is hitting the ball in the gaps,” Robbie Podorsky quipped Thursday, “and then I get to run for days.”

Not since Andrew Guillotte roamed Joe Miller Ballpark in coach Justin Hill’s first two seasons has McNeese had the athleticism it employs this year, spearheaded Podorsky, the Cowboys’ leadoff hitter whom the staff believes will be among the fastest players in the Southland Conference.

Pair that with three returners in the middle who hit over .270 last season and McNeese possesses an athletic, versatile lineup looking to replace Connor Crane and Lewis Guilbeau’s .340 averages and 147 hits.

“Same bats, but I think our approaches have changed,” Ricky Ramirez, Jr. said.  “And adding Robbie at the top of that lineup, he can make a lot of things happen. It seems like any time he puts the ball on the ground he has a chance to beat it out. That’s really good to have at the top of the lineup.”

Ramirez changed his stance in the offseason, taking the noticeable bend out of his knees for more of an upright approach in his open stance, leading to some previously unseen power to the opposite field.

He, Matt Gallier and Joe Provenzano will hit 3-4-5 in the Cowboys order on opening night, Hill said, two lefties sandwiching the right-handed cleanup hitter to whom Provenzano — returning a team-leading 57 hits — offers ample protection.

Podorsky will, of course, lead off. Hill said he’s still tinkering with the remainder of the lineup, one he views differently than any of the other four in his McNeese tenure, beginning with Podorsky’s presence.

“(Podorsky’s) ability to change the game and distract the pitcher and do those sort of things,” Hill said. “Shane Selman’s a good runner, he can hit the ball out of the yard. I think we’ve got some guys that can leave the yard, no doubt about it, but I don’t think we have those typical power hitters. The one thing where we feel like we’ve really upgraded across the board is just the athleticism …  It’s given us some flexibility with players.”

It’s not uncharted territory for Podorsky, who led off all last season at Delgado and has hit in either the leadoff spot or two-hole on every team he’s joined.

“It’s not just about really stealing bags whenever I get on base, it’s more about becoming a distraction to the pitcher,” Podorsky said. “A lot of times they’ll waste pitches, throw pitch outs whenever I’m on base or they’ll give the hitters fastballs. So our big hitters can come up looking and hunting fastballs.”

They’re thankful for the help.

“That dude can be dangerous,” Provenzano said. “It gives us all different sorts of opportunities to score so, yeah, it does take pressure off. It gives us more chances to put runs on the board.”