Prep baseball: Mustangs loud and proud

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Whether or not the Costa Mesa High baseball team can

make hay this season remains to be seen. But there is little doubt Coach

Kirk Bauermeister’s Mustangs will make some noise.

Mesa, which perennially boasts the most spirited dugout in the Pacific

Coast League, now has a 18-player roster with which to distract opposing

players and/or pump up its hitters.

The expanded roster, of course, has other benefits as well.

“It’s nice to have two kids at every position,” said Bauermeister, who

adds experience to that depth, especially on the mound.

Junior right-hander Nick Cabico, entering his third varsity season,

headlines the hurlers. He had a 3.02 ERA last season with 45 strikeouts

in 41 2/3 innings, despite winning just 2 of 8 decisions.

“He kind of rode the wave of a good offensive team as a freshman (3-5

with 43 strikeouts and a 4.93 ERA in 54 innings), then he may have put

too much pressure on himself last year,” Bauermeister said.

Cabico, one of the Mustangs’ two All-Newport-Mesa District returners,

will play right field when he’s not pitching. He hit .299 with 13 RBIs

and nine stolen bases last year. He’ll likely hit second in the order.

Senior Carlos Franco, all-district a year ago, is another third-year

varsity veteran. He hit .338 with 10 RBIs and was 3-0 with five saves as

the featured reliever. He fanned 37 in 39 1/3 innings and will, once

again, be counted on in the late innings. Franco, a second-team All-PCL

performer last spring, will also play outfield and first base. He’ll

likely bat sixth.

Senior lefties Jeremiah Haubrick and Ryan Costelloe, as well as senior

right-hander Brent Stevens, will also contribute on the bump.

Haubrick was 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 39 innings as a junior.

“We have enough guys, so that one guy won’t throw the majority of the

innings, which is a good thing,” Bauermeister said. “And we have a nice

mix of right-handers and left-handers.”

Bauermeister also likes his team’s hitting potential.

“We won’t have anyone put up Ruben Mancillas (the Newport-Mesa

District Co-Player of the Year in 1999) numbers, but one through nine,

its as good as any order I’ve had,” Bauermeister said.

Senior second baseman Steven Shores should be one of the Mustangs’

productive bats. He hit .339 (21 for 62) with two home runs and 10 RBIs

en route to second-team all-league laurels last year, when the Mustangs

finished 10-15-1, 4-8 in league and just missed the CIF playoffs.

“He’s our top returning hitter and one of the best kids I’ve ever

coached,” said Bauermeister, who praised Shores’ work ethic.

Senior catcher Daniel Hunter is penciled into the cleanup spot and

Bauermeister expects him to better his 2000 numbers (.296 with two homers

and nine RBIs). Bauermeister likes his defense and also believes he is

one of several base-stealing threats.

Though Bauermeister concedes the new bat restrictions (cutting down

weight-to-length differential from minus-five ounces to minus-three),

will limit power numbers across the board. But he also believe senior

Antony Grubisich, an All-PCL lineman in football, can supply plenty of

swat.

“He’s swinging it well and he could be a big surprise,” Bauermeister

said. “He’s much more balanced, which has helped him get the bat on the

ball more consistently.”

Bauermeister is also high on junior third baseman Michael McGuire, who

is slated to hit third.

“He’s really matured physically and he has a good swing,” Bauermesiter

said. “He has a chance to go on and play Division I college baseball, or

maybe even professionally.”

Senior Josh Feldman will lead off and play center field, after sitting

out his junior season with a knee injury.

“He can really run and he’s a great outfielder,” Bauermeister said.

Junior Billy Halverson returns at shortstop, while Bauermeister said

he will fill the other outfield spot from a field of candidates including

Haubrick, junior Mike Carrasco, Stevens and senior Mike Armstrong.

Seniors Charlie Amburgey, Evan McGuire, Jeremy Cooper and Matt Snyder,

as well as junior Kevin DeSandro, will also provide depth.

Bauermeister said the Mustangs will hope to compete for a playoff spot

in the PCL. “It should be a competitive league, just like last year,” he

said. “We went down to the last game with a chance to make the playoffs

and we finished 4-8.”

The Mustangs, who have six night games at TeWinkle Park, are scheduled

to open Friday at 3 p.m. against visiting Saddleback in the

Foothill-Costa Mesa Tournament.

Costa Mesa roster

1 Nick Cabico Jr.

3 Billy Halverson Jr.

7 Michael McGuire Jr.

9 Brent Stevens Sr.

11 Jeremy Cooper Sr.

12 Ryan Costelloe Sr.

14 Matt Snyder Sr.

16 Charlie Amburgey Sr.

17 Mike Armstrong Sr.

20 Steven Shores Sr.

24 Jeremiah Haubrick Sr.

25 Evan McGuire Sr.

27 Mike Carrasco Jr.

29 Antony Grubisich Sr.

32 Kevin DeSandro Jr.

33 Carlos Franco Sr.

36 Josh Feldman Sr.

49 Daniel Hunter Sr.

Coach: Kirk Bauermeister