Mesquite High has produced and been known for a solid baseball program since it opened in 1998. No state championships yet, but it's knocked on the door several times.

Last year was no exception. The Wildcats were among the final four in Division I before bowing out to Brophy. Coach Jeff Holland, longtime assistant Shane Gift and the rest of the Wildcats staff looked ahead to this season. It looked ominous on paper.

Two starting position players back -- Brad Holland and Matt Waldren -- .301 and .244 hitters, respectively, in 2012. No returning regular starting pitching. In fact, one pitcher that logged varsity innings and then only to fill innings in early-season, non-power ranking games.

What has transpired in the interim is a team with 17 wins and seven losses. A team solidly in the playoff chase (10-4 in power-ranking games) with four games to play. Hovering over the team is a sense of accomplishment that often isn't felt when a program's success is automatic by tradition alone. Players who seeming come into their own out of nowhere.

"This reminds me of the early years," Holland said. "2001, 2002, 2003." This team has no super stars. A bunch of no-names. And very little (varsity) experience."

Never in Holland's tenure at Mesquite has the pitching cupboard been so bare on paper entering a season. The pitcher who threw 8 2/3 varsity innings last year (8.08 earned-run average) was then-sophomore Matt Heibult. Heibult has graduted to ace of the 2013 staff. Heading to Wednesday's game with Basha, Heibult is 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA. His most recent outing was April 13 at Chase Field when he decisoned Hamilton, 3-1, with a complete-game, two-hitter. A couple more underclassmen have produced on the mound keeping the Wildcats in most every game. 

"Our goal at the beginning of the season was the the same as always, get in the (state) tournament," Holland said. "But we'd never had so much turnover  in pitching. We've always had one or two back from the year before."

Offensively, Mesquite generally features a power attack. They hit a decent amount of homers last year (23). That number is nine this year. The Wildcats have gotten solid leadership from Waldren, who has stepped up from a .244 hitter to a .440 hitter. Brad Holland, the other veteran returnee, has played in only 14 of the 24 games. He missed most of March with a leg injury. In Tuesday's 9-7 win over Gilbert, new starters James Harrington, Nick Daley, Jaeben Smith and Parker Holland were instrumental in the victory. All are batting between .317 and .357 for the year. 

"This has been a surprising season," Holland said. "A lot of kids overachieving or just better than we gave them credit for. Teams like this are the reason you (coach). You get a lot of satisfaction watching kids play beyond what you thought they could."

Most of Mesquite's starting lineup return next year as does nearly alll its pitchers. That's when a coach finds if those players are committed to improving or resting on their laurels.

Another coaching challenge. Yes. But hopefully that's what makes most coaches want to coach. The challenge -- whatever end of the experience spectrum is on the table. 

 

  

 

 

 

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