One of the players the Wildcats have turned to this season is sophomore infielder Mitch Lesmeister. Lesmeister is hitting .345 average with three doubles, one triple and three home runs. Lesmeister has a .469 slugging percentage and .464 on base percentage.CWU Baseball hasn’t had the season that they have wanted to  have so far, according to head coach Desi Storey. The Wildcats are 14-17-1 overall and 11-13 in the GNAC. Mid-way through their season, they are sitting six games behind Montana State University Billings in the standings for first place in the GNAC. Storey believes that although CWU isn’t necessarily tearing the cover off of the ball right now, Storey said he believes that they can turn their season around. Storey pointed towards Lesmeister’s work ethic during practice as one of the reasons he is having such a solid season. Storey said he is seeing the ball better than he did in his freshman year, and is maturing as a player.

“It’s kind of what I expect, to be honest. I know what he is capable of doing and so the expectation is that he continues to grow and get better,” Storey said.

Lesmeister has also played well in the infield, gotten better with his foot work and glove work as the season has gone on, according to Storey. Lesmeister had somewhat of a slow start to the season, as did everyone else on the team, but now Lesmeister is finding himself. Lesmeister said he is always trying to get better and doesn’t know why everything is coming together for him all of a sudden, but he is happy about it.

“This year I just think I am more comfortable and I obviously know everybody, and the coaches, and I am just trying to get better every week and improve,” Lesmeister said.

Lesmeister grew up in Walla Walla, Washington and played baseball at Walla Walla High School. Lesmeister said he had other options to play college ball for some junior colleges, but ultimately loved everything about Ellensburg and what CWU has to offer. Lesmeister said that he owes a great amount of gratitude to his parents for everything that they did to help him growing up. According to Lesmeister, his parents made sure he could travel for baseball and had everything he needed to be successful. Lesmeister also has two older brothers who played baseball.

The medical field has always been something that has caught Lesmeisters eye. He knows that he wants to major in something that has to do with the medical field, and maybe attend dental school someday.

When Lesmeister was five years old, he watched his older brother play Little League Baseball. That’s how Lesmeister started playing baseball in Little League. Lesmeister said that he used to play a lot in the catcher position all the way through his sophomore year and then he moved to the infield by his senior year. Lesmeister said he likes to fish a lot and, he gets his raft out and hits the lake to relax in the outdoors. According to Lesmeister, his go-to guy on the team is junior infielder Cameron McGrath who is now out for the season with an arm injury.

“He’s always been there for me and he has always been a good friend. When I was sick, he asked if he could bring me anything,” McGrath said.

There will be more chances to see Lesmeister play the rest of the season. The Wildcats will play their next home game April 26 against Montana State University Billings,  the first place team in the GNAC.