Enderle acing role in Needles’ deep rotation

Needles baseball coach Ken Parker is hesitant to assign the term “ace” to any of his pitchers.

He sees two No. 1 and two No. 2 starters when he looks at a deep staff that includes four hurlers who received Class 2A All-Southern League honors last season.

But Jared Enderle has left no doubt that he belongs in one of the top spots. The junior right-hander has posted a 5-0 record with a 0.66 ERA in helping Needles to a 12-7 start, including an 8-0 mark in league play.

And he figures to play a big role in Needles’ quest for a third straight 2A state championship.

“He’s a rock that holds it together,” Parker said of Enderle. “He’s one of the guys who gives us the confidence to get back in there and score runs.”

Enderle was 7-1 with a 1.33 ERA last season, but he became even more dominant as a junior thanks to what he called “better mechanics.”

“I’ve been lifting for strength in my arm,” the junior said. “Coach Parker has been working with my mechanics, teaching me how to achieve more velocity, pushing off the mound more.”

Enderle has admirably stepped in for former No. 1 starter Stevie Kidd, who graduated after going 11-0 with a 1.16 ERA last season.

He credited Kidd and last year’s other seniors for teaching him the values of confidence and mental toughness.

“They taught me how to be more confident in myself,” Enderle said. “It feels really good to know I have a good defense behind me to back me up.”

Parker has noticed that Enderle isn’t easily rattled on the mound.

“He just focuses on throwing strikes and doesn’t let anything get to him,” Parker said. “They hit a double, triple or home run off him, and he’ll come back with a curveball for a strike. He just works on hitting his spots and locations.”

Needles also figures to rely heavily on Ryan Andrews (1-1, 0.64 ERA), Matt McAndrews (1-0, 1.40) and Jake Acuna (2-0, 4.20) down the stretch.

“For us, not one guy’s better than the next,” Parker said.

Offensively, no one has been better than junior shortstop Bobby Stahel, who is hitting .679 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs.

Stahel and Enderle might be the key ingredients in what the Mustangs hope can be the ninth state champion in team history.

“It’s what we’ve been working for the whole year,” Enderle said of a possible state crown. “It would mean a lot.”