Matt Broesamle

Richard Dunn

There were times in high school when Matt Broesamle could walk

onto a baseball diamond with his 6-foot, 260-pound frame and perhaps

resemble a certain left-handed swinging slugger from the past who was

also a great pitcher.

Not that anyone’s comparing Broesamle to the Bambino, but the

former Costa Mesa High standout does appreciate the game’s nostalgia.

In fact, in Broesamle’s final collegiate start -- he was

Concordia’s ace for three years in the Golden State Athletic

Conference -- he pitched the first inning of the ballgame with his

grandfather Bill’s timeworn glove (circa 1940) to honor his

grandfather, who passed away the following year.

“Wearing my grandfather’s glove in that first inning, that was

pretty memorable for me,” said Broesamle, a left-handed hitter who

threw right-handed.

Broesamle, a two-time Player of the Year on the All-Newport-Mesa

District Dream Team, helped put Costa Mesa baseball on the map in

1995 and ’96 under Coach Doug Deats with back-to-back appearances in

the CIF Southern Section Division III Playoffs.

Broesamle didn’t pitch his first year at Concordia, opting to play

third and first base. He did, however, run many miles with the Eagle

pitchers during their morning workouts and Broesamle was able to shed

30 pounds in three months.

Furthermore, the year off from pitching allowed his arm to recover

and gain strength, and, when Broesamle returned to the mound his

sophomore year at Concordia, he was a new man.

“I got around the weight in high school, but I’m not sure how I

did it,” he said. “I didn’t have a choice in college. I had to lose

weight.”

Broesamle, a three-time All-GSAC pitcher, realized the biggest

difference in his weight loss in fielding his position on the mound.

“It’s a lot easier to move 215 pounds than 265,” said Broesamle,

mainly a fastball pitcher with good movement and control.

“It was a blessing I didn’t pitch my freshman year (in 1997),” he

added, “because my arm was so fresh after that year.”

Concordia made the NAIA playoffs in 1998, ’99 and 2000, the latter

coming in dramatic fashion after the Eagles started 1-7 in the GSAC

and swept Westmont in a doubleheader on the final day to clinch a

postseason spot and cap their season comeback.

“My most cherished stat is that I played in every single baseball

game in four years,” said Broesamle, who would play the infield in

the second game of doubleheaders, after pitching the first game.

“My arm always felt fine.” he added, “As the years went by, I was

just throwing too many times and I think my arm got tired. I was just

throwing the baseball way too much.”

Broesamle, whose fastball could reach 88 mph in college, attended

a couple of pro baseball tryouts, but never signed.

The latest honoree in the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame,

Broesamle is one of the most celebrated players in Mesa baseball

history. As a junior in 1995, he batted .390 with three home runs, 21

RBIs and 19 runs scored, while posting a 4-2 record on the mound with

a microscopic ERA of 1.66. He struck out 36 in 59 innings, yielding

only 44 hits. He led Mesa to its most successful season in 14 years.

In Broesamle’s senior year, he hit a district-leading .452 with

five bombs, 29 RBIs and 21 runs scored, while going 7-3 on the mound

with a 3.55 ERA in 69 innings (57 strikeouts).

Broesamle, 24, spent one season as an assistant coach at

Concordia, but has returned to Costa Mesa and will assist Deats next

spring.

Today, he’s gearing up for his student teaching in the spring

semester at Woodland Elementary in Costa Mesa, which will complete

his teaching credential. He plans to marry Gina Harrison on July 12,

2003.