AT A GLANCE: Bothell Baseball

By Tim Watanabe • March 30, 2011 3:46 pm
Bothell senior starter Brian McAfee pitched a gem of a game on Monday against the Inglemoor Vikings
Bothell senior starter Brian McAfee pitched a gem of a game on Monday against the Inglemoor Vikings

BOTHELL BASEBALL AT A GLANCE

• Head coach: Paul Moody, 14th season

• Last year: 10-6, 2nd place 4A Kingco Crown division, 17-8 overall

• 2010 turnout: 71

KEY RETURNERS

• Sr. Brian McAfee, P/3B: Bothell’s biggest bat (.471 this season) is also a threat on the mound, 24 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched with a 1.58 ERA.

• Sr. Kevin McShane, P/1B: Returning southpaw starter bolsters the Cougars’ rotation.

• Sr. Mitchell Viydo, 2B: Pure contact hitter gets on base, and is solid defensively.

• Srs. Dain Gilbert, 3B; Jon Mercer, SS: Pair of returning upperclassmen will anchor the left infield, get on base and score runs.

• Sr. Henry Baillargeon, P: Strong righthander among the team leaders in ERA (1.83 in three appearances). Can start or come out of the bullpen.

TOP NEWCOMERS

• Jrs. Rex Carlin, Brady Mickelson, P: Pair of good-looking hurlers will see some time on the mound this season and will hopefully develop into staff leaders in 2012.

BIG GAME

April 11, 6 p.m. vs. Redmond (Hartman Park): This will be the toughest test of the year for the Cougars, against a ranked team with a loaded lineup. Bothell’s defense, pitching and offense will have to be firing on all cylinders to compete with the Mustangs on their home turf.

DID YOU KNOW?

Veteran head coach Paul Moody is in his 28th year of coaching high school baseball – he spent 15 years at Northshore rival Inglemoor before taking over Bothell’s program in 1999. Also, Inglemoor High alum Evan Meek (Class of 2001) was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lone representative at the MLB All-Star game in 2010. Meek had a 4-2 record with a 0.98 ERA at the break.

QUOTABLE

“Bothell returns a solid group of infielders and a couple of starting pitchers from last year. We hope to compete good enough to make the Kingco playoffs and with any luck move on to the state tournament.”

— Head coach Paul Moody