HUNTINGTON -- Marshall baseball players Adam Yeager and Steve Blevins are used to working together on the baseball diamond.

Yeager, who played at Huntington High for Toby Holbrook, and Blevins, a standout pitcher from Lawrence County (Ky.), were roommates at the University of Cincinnati where they played for two years before joining the Thundering Herd this season.

Upon deciding to come back to the area, they knew there would be several obstacles to overcome, such as a lack of facilities, but they were convinced that the new coaches were dedicated to turning the program around.

Now, headed into the final series of the Conference USA season, Marshall has a chance to finish in the top four in conference play. The Herd goes into Thursday's series-opener sitting in sixth place at 10-10-1 in conference. That leaves the team a half-game behind weekend opponent Houston and East Carolina, who will take on Memphis this weekend.

"I think it's safe to say that if we win two of three, we can jump Houston and possibly even jump East Carolina depending on what they do," Yeager said. "That would be amazing given the circumstances. It would be a testament to the efforts of the players and the new coaches."

The "Homecoming" for Yeager and Blevins has been anything but, as the team does not have a facility to call its own. The only constant place for the team to play is in Charleston at Appalachian Power Park, which is nearly an hour away.

"I don't think people realize how hard it is to go on the road every weekend," Yeager said. "Even home games, we have to stay in a hotel. It wears on you."

The University of Cincinnati has beautiful facilities at Marge Schott Stadium, which is located in the heart of Varsity Village on campus. So what would make a pair of Big East top performers want to transfer to a place where high school facilities had to be used on occasion?

"We knew the conference was good and that things could just get better. We thought why not give it a chance," Blevins said. "Facilities aren't everything. It's embarrassing that we had to play on high school fields a couple times, but that is part of it all. (Marshall baseball) Coach (Jeff) Waggoner has talked about no excuses."

Waggoner's vision for Marshall baseball and playing in Conference USA against some of the nation's best competition are just a couple of reasons why Yeager and Blevins are among a handful of players that overlooked the facility issues to transfer to Marshall this season.

Blevins said that when everyone first got together in the fall, it was apparent how much talent was surrounding them, no matter what field they were playing on. But Yeager said Waggoner took it to the next level when he outlined lofty expectations for the team this season.

"We put a bunch of signs up to remind us that it's been 30 years since Marshall has gone to the regionals," Yeager said. "He's been preaching that we would turn the program around if we make it."

The team currently sits at 26-25-1 despite losing several games that they feel they should have won, especially against nationally-ranked Rice.

"We have the talent, we know that from playing them this year," Blevins said. "But you have to get used to beating those teams. We've never beaten the Rices or the Tulanes."

"It's key for any program that's been down," Yeager added. "You have to get a few big wins under your belt to change that attitude. In the future, that winning attitude will be there."

The duo of Blevins and Yeager have been a big part of the turnaround that has seen Marshall win its most games ever in Conference USA.

At the plate, Yeager is batting .311 and has 36 steals in 43 attempts. On the mound, Blevins is 8-2 with a 4.44 earned run average.

Those numbers are strong enough to have both players in strong consideration among scouts for the MLB Draft in June. They would like to go into the draft together, but before they think of that, they have their visions set on winning two more sets of road games: this weekend at Houston and next week in the Conference USA tournament at Tulane.

"We can still reach the goals we set at the beginning of the year," Yeager said. "We have the talent to do it and the attitude about winning is there now with Marshall baseball."