The Maverick baseball team is on fire right now. They are currently ranked number two in the nation with a 41-9 record.
The Mavs lead the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) with a 30-2 record, and will host the RMAC tournament starting today, May 10.
While baseball is usually making some national noise, this season just feels different, as the team is full of depth and intriguing storylines.
“Something that this team does differently than any other Mesa team that I’ve seen is they play baseball as baseball was played a long time ago. What I mean by that is, they’re all about being able to bunt the ball, hit and run stealing bases. The old school gritty, dirty style of baseball,” redshirt senior pitcher Blake Rohm said.
One specific thing that the team has been practicing and emphasizing this year is stealing the bases. Senior Julian Boyd leads the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in stolen bases with 33 of them and is on pace to break Trask Munoz’s single-season record which is currently at 36.
“We took more time this year to work on base stealing as a team. It has improved [since] last year in terms of numbers, but mainly it was a mental thing. Coach Hanks pulled me into his office before the season and basically gave me the green light to just run wild so it’s safe to say that’s exactly what I’ve done,” Boyd said.
Not only has base stealing improved this season, but batting has also improved this season. One player that has made a jump this season is junior Robert Sharrar. After hitting .328 last year, the outfielder has broken out this season hitting .446.
“I give a lot of credit to my teammates, it’s very fun playing with them. For them, they always got my back and always support me. They are the guys that I work with in the cages. We’re discussing anything mechanically from a defensive standpoint, to an offensive standpoint, and it’s just been such a fun year, and it’s been a pleasure,” Sharrar said.
Much of the credit also goes to the pitching staff who improved after having a slow start to the season. The team began the season 6-5, letting opponents hit all over them. Since then, the team has gone 36-4, and the staff has the best ERA in RMAC play.
“It was probably the slowest start we’ve had at Mesa since I have been here. I think it was just kind of staying together as a team, and understanding that if we continue to trust the process and do the right things, that our coaches have taught us that it will all end up working out in the end,” junior pitcher Jacob Rhoades said.
It was a chance to fight through adversity and that’s exactly what another pitcher has done throughout his career here at CMU. Blake Rohm started the season as a player, then due to a shoulder injury converted to a coach, and as of recently he converted back to a player.
“I unfortunately got hurt at the end of last year and thought that my career was done, but some good things kind of favored me and I started throwing, and getting back into things, and eventually found myself back on the field. I toyed [with] coming back and finishing off the season. The players were very supportive. They wanted me here and know what I can contribute to the team so everybody has been super receptive about it,” Rohm said.
Once Rohm finally took the mound this season, he has been dealing. In his 11 innings pitched so far, he has only given up three earned runs.
“It was funny enough, they were kind of asking me about potentially coming back and how my arm was and whatnot. I threw for a couple of weeks, and the coaches saw me throw. It was kind of a two-way street, they approached me about it as well, so it was good to see that they wanted to see it happen as much as I did,” Rohm said.
Another veteran player on the team is junior Harrison Rodgers. Rodgers is one of the eight Mavericks with five or more home runs this year.
“There’s a feeling about this team. I think that feeling is rooted in the resiliency we’ve displayed this whole season and the adaptability to figure it out no matter what the situation is. I would definitely attribute that feeling because this year’s team is different from other teams,” Rodgers said.
What makes this team stand out from years past is their balance. Last year, the team relied on the same four or five players to produce offensively. This year, there are only six players who average over two plate appearances a game. Fifteen players on the team have 12 or more RBI’s on the season.
“I felt like we had a different hero each weekend. It’s what teams are about. We have nine guys in the lineup, and on any given day I feel like somebody is going to pick us up if we don’t have it, or all nine are going to explode. We’re a dangerous squad and I just love the way things are piecing together” Rodgers continued.
The next time you can see the Mavericks baseball team is in the RMAC Championships this week starting on May 10. If the team wins RMAC, there is a good chance the club will host the South Central Regional on May 19.
