Mira Mesa’s Hause Makes Himself At Home on Mound : Baseball: The young pitcher also is a strong player in the field, enhancing his chances of being drafted this June.

Brendan Hause doesn’t think of himself as a full-time pitcher so much as an everyday baseball player who happens to throw a good game once a week or so.

That might surprise opponents hoping to come up with a few hits and maybe a run against the Mira Mesa left-hander.

“I kind of see myself as a guy that plays everyday, and pitches,” said House, a senior, after running his record to 9-1 with a 10-2 victory Tuesday over Patrick Henry.

“I’ve always leaned toward hitting, but I like pitching too--you’re in control. When you’re on the mound you control the game. I like that about pitching.”

That probably doesn’t surprise opponents. Hause might not throw as hard as Mike Bovee, his all-county teammate last year and a sixth-round draft choice, but he’s a master of poise and control on the mound.

Mira Mesa Coach Mike Prosser, whose teams have won two consecutive 3-A championships with a wealth of good pitching, said Hause “doesn’t throw quite as hard as Bovee did but he keeps the ball around the plate and throws hard enough. Every year he gets a little stronger, a little faster, a little more competitive.”

Hause was not quite as effective Tuesday, pitching five innings, striking out five--but only one after the second inning--giving up six hits and a run.

But it was his second victory against Patrick Henry in 11 days. In the last game between the two, he struck out 12 and threw a one-hitter at home. In between, he tossed a 12-0 perfect game at Point Loma, using only 74 pitches, striking out 12 and allowing only one ball out of the infield.

Patrick Henry Coach Bob Imlay has seen enough.

“We were impressed. He’s as good a high school pitcher as I’ve ever seen,” Imlay said. “He has great velocity, a sharp-breaking knuckle curve, great control. He’s a bona fide blue chipper. Facing him’s a real challenge. He’s gotten bigger and better as a senior. He’s a pretty good act.”

Hause, 6 feet 2, 185 pounds, on Tuesday was watched by a handful of scouts, who consistently clocked his fastball at 85 m.p.h. That’s not overpowering by major league standards, but Hause has enough control to spot the ball. He also mixes in an effective curve.

And Mira Mesa pitching coach Pat Hause--Brendan’s father--says there may be even more to his son than the obvious: The elder Hause believes his son hasn’t come close to his physical peak. Hause will not turn 18 until October.

“Our family in general is late-growing,” Pat Hause said. “He’s got a little more pop on the ball (than last year) but I honestly think his best fastball will come three, four years down the road. He’s about 6-2, he’s already grown an inch this year and put on six or eight pounds. I think he may end up around 6-3.”

And the scouts like his command of the game. So does Cal, which has already signed him to a scholarship.

The facts: Hause leads the county with his 9-1 record, has struck out 88 batters in 53 2/3 innings and walked nine and has an earned-run average of 0.91. When he doesn’t pitch he plays first base and is hitting .416 with four home runs. He has led the Marauders to a 17-5 record and a No. 3 ranking in the county. As a junior he was 6-1 with a 0.77 ERA.

“He’s a prospect as an athlete,” Prosser said. “He can do quite a few things on the baseball field--he hits, hits with power, he’s improved as a runner, he’s gotten faster.”

Despite his status as an all-leaguer since his freshman year, Hause has also gained high marks as an anti-prima donna, an honor student with a level head.

“His major attribute is his work habit. He just keeps working,” Prosser said. “He wants to be a better player. He’s never missed a practice, in fact he’s never missed a day of school I can remember. He’s competitive, and he’s competitive within himself. On the other hand, he’s a team player. He wants the Marauders to do well. He doesn’t have to be the hero.”

Hause had the edge of having a father who had a brief pro career. However Prosser said, “That shows, but Brendan would’ve accomplished a lot of that on his own.”

Pat Hause said he may have passed on an appreciation for the art of pitching, but he echoed Prosser: “I’ve told him, ‘If you’re gonna be out there this is how you approach it.’ But he’s done most of it on his own. He’s very focused, very coachable. He’s the kind of kid you never have to tell to work--you have to watch that he doesn’t do too much.”

Hause modestly acknowledged that “I’ve always been playing, the hitting and that stuff I guess came natural, but there’s been a lot of practice.”

The biggest change for Hause this year has been stepping into a role as team leader, following in the footsteps of Bovee and Marc Nielsen.

“He’s real quiet, he doesn’t say a whole lot, he goes about his business, he just goes out and shows the guys (by example),” Prosser said. “Sometimes he’ll say something to a teammate in the dugout (but) he’s not a rah-rah type, but put him on a field and he’s competitive, and the guys see it and want to rise to that level.”

Hause conceded he’s more aware of his role this year: “I’ve always been behind the Bovees and Nielsens and I could just play. This year I know whenever we start relaxing or losing focus I have to get ‘em going again. I was more quiet (last year).”

But one of the few things that apparently doesn’t come naturally to Hause on the diamond is talking about himself. Ask about progress and you get a team synopsis: “We’re playing well in league, we’re hitting the ball well, we’re really becoming a good team. . . . Pitching, I’m about where I’d like to be. I knew I’d be getting a lot of starts but I knew we’d be a good team.”

Hause said he doesn’t go out trying to throw another perfect game every start, but he does hope to learn from each start. “My dad taught me great mechanics,” he said. “I can’t match the perfect game, but I can match the way I was hitting my spots and my mechanics.”

That consistency may give him the choice in June of continuing on to Cal or taking a shot at the pros.

“If I get a good (pro offer) I’d like to do that. Either way is fine but I’d like to play professional ball,” he said.

Prosser said, “No matter what he does at this point it’s gonna pay off.”

Teams have been hitting the jackpot with Hause for years.